At least six people were killed and seven injured Thursday after gunmen opened fire on a passenger vehicle.
Police said the passenger vehicle was on its way from Gilgit to Niltar Bala when it was fired upon at the RC bridge by unidentified suspects. According to police, a van carrying 18 local passengers including women was on its way to Naltar from Gilgit town. At about 3pm, unidentified gunmen opened fire on the vehicle in the Naltar area. Gilgit SSP Mirza Hasan said six local residents including a woman were killed in the incident, besides seven passengers who sustained injuries.
The injured were shifted to City Hospital Gilgit by police and Rescue 1122 personnel. SSP Hasan said the injured were out of danger and under treatment at the hospital.
Soon after the incident, a police team arrived at the scene and an investigation into the attack was launched. In a statement issued later, police said the incident appeared to be the result of some personal enmity. They vowed to arrest the attackers soon.
Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan took notice of the incident and directed law enforcement agencies to arrest the culprits. According to a press release, the chief minister expressed sorrow over the incident and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. He directed the GB police, Rangers and GB Scouts to utilise all of their resources to apprehend the gunmen involved in the incident. He also directed the hospital administration to remain alert during the treatment of the injured.
The chief minister appealed to the people to cooperate with the government to maintain law and order in the region, and vowed to deal with the elements involved in the attack with an iron hand. He also directed authorities to take steps to protect passengers on Karakoram Highway.
