Six arrested after unknown gunmen attack bus in Gilgit Baltistan’s Chilas

Chilas (Gilgit Baltistan) [PoK], December 3 (ANI): Six suspects have been arrested for allegedly connected with an attack on an Islamabad-bound bus in Gilgit-Baltistan’s (GB) Chilas on Saturday, Dawn reported.

Diamer police on Saturday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the suspects.

In the attack, at least nine people, including two soldiers, lost their lives and 21 passengers suffered injuries after an unknown gunmen targeted a bus from nearby hills, which caused the vehicle to collide with a goods truck, as reported by Dawn.

Gilgit-Baltistan’s interior minister said that the bus driver stepped on the accelerators as the gunmen started firing, which led to its head-on collision with a goods truck.

Moreover, he had equated the gun attack with terrorism, according to Dawn.

However, no outfit has taken responsibility for the incident yet.

According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Diamer commissioner, a case had been registered against these unknown miscreants by Diamer’s SHO, Azmat Shah.

Public Relations Officer Raja Ashfaq Tahir said, “Six suspects have been taken into custody at two police stations so far.”

Following the incident, the officials stated that all entry and exit polls in GB had been closed and security in the region was on high alert.

Moreover, the police have also launched search operations across Diamer and traffic on the Karakoram Highway will remain suspended today, Tahir said.

Due to the closure of the Karakoram Highway, hundreds of passengers travelling to Gilgit Baltistan were stranded in Bisham, Kohistan and other areas, reported Dawn.

Meanwhile, protests were held in Chilas and Hunza against the incident, where they demanded immediate action be taken against the suspects and their arrests.