G-B bus attack case filed; six suspects held

Transporters in Rawalpindi and region go on strike for more security

KARACHI:

Diamer police on Sunday registered a case and arrested six suspects in connection with a gun attack on a passenger bus in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Chilas town a day earlier, while transporters in Rawalpindi as well as the region took their vehicles off the roads as part of their strike demanding security in the wake of the incident.

At least 10 people, including two soldiers, were martyred and another 25 injured when unidentified assailants fired gunshots at a passenger bus in the Hudur area of Chilas, causing it to collide with an oncoming truck.

G-B Minister Interior Shams Lone said the driver of the bus panicked following the shooting and stepped up the speed of his vehicle which led to its collision with the truck. Lone described it as an act of “terrorism”.

An officer at the Diamer commissioner’s office said a case was registered against unidentified miscreants. The case was filed by Diamer SHO Azmat Shah, he added.

He continued that six suspects had been rounded up so far and were in the custody of separate police stations.

The officer further said security in G-B had been beefed up following the attack and all entry as well as exit routes of the region sealed off, suspending vehicular traffic on Karakoram Highway for the day.

He added that the G-B police were on high alert and launched a search operation across the region to track down the attackers.

The funeral prayers of the people martyred in the attack was offered at the G-B Scout Wing. Later, the bodies of the victims were dispatched to their hometowns for burial.

G-B Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, Force Commander Kashif Khalil and others participated in the funeral prayers.

Separately, transporters travelling from Rawalpindi to 10 districts of G-B staged a protest against the attack and went on a strike, bringing their services to a halt.

The transporters parked their vehicles at their stop and refused to run them.

The people intending to travel to G-B from Rawalpindi faced severe difficulties.

During their protest in Rawalpindi, the transporters held placards and banners inscribed with different slogans including those condemning the Chilas attack and demanding security.

Addressing the protesters, Pakistan Transporter Welfare Association officials expressed their sorrow over the Chilas attack.

Read also: 10 martyred in Chilas bus attack

They pointed out that there were about 2,500 public transport vehicles that carried hundreds of passengers from Rawalpindi to the 10 districts of G-B on a daily basis.

The association officials demanded that these vehicles should be provided with foolproof security in the area around 40 to 50 kilometres of Chilas.

They also sought the arrest of the people involved in the attack and meting out exemplary punishment to them.

The association’s officials said that the vehicles would not travel to G-B until their demand for security was met.

The transporters of G-B also went on a strike. Ibrahim Shigri, an official of the G-B Transport Association, said a "complete wheel-jam” strike was being observed against the incident.

“All kinds of transport [vehicles] from G-B to the rest of the country will remain suspended, he added.

The region's transporters also staged a rally from the city centre of Gilgit to its press club. They demanded that the government should ensure the safety of public transport vehicles on Karakorum Highway.

Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar condemned the Chilas attack and directed the security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice, read a statement issued from his office on Sunday.

Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti in his message expressed his sorrow and grief over the martyrdom of the passengers in Chilas.

He conveyed his heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved families of the martyrs.

“Targeting civilians is a cowardly act,” the interim minister said, adding that anti-national elements were trying to sabotage the peace of G-B.

However, he continued that such “cowardly” acts boosted the morale of the country’s valiant forces to fight terrorism with more determination and bravery.

Bugti further said the enemies of the country wanted to destroy the peace of a region like G-B, but they would fail to achieve this goal.

(With input from APP)