Trader’s murder: Gilgit grinds to a halt as traders protest killing

Police believe the incident to be sectarian-motivated.

GILGIT:

Infuriated over the killing of a vegetable supplier, the traders’ union observed a shutter-down strike here on Thursday.

They demanded that the business community be provided protection and the killers be arrested. Most of the city presented a deserted look, while police increased the number of patrols on the roads leading in and out of the city.

Ehsan Khan, a vegetable supplier and resident of Sawat near Guru Jaglote, was badly injured when unidentified men opened fire on his van when he was returning to Gilgit after delivering stocks to the markets in Hunza on Wednesday. Khan died of injuries on the way to hospital.

The incident created panic in the city, where the situation had just started to normalise following a month-long curfew in the wake of killings of over 20 people in sectarian clashes.

Police have arrested seven people in connection with the murder, which the police believe to be sectarian-motivated.

“On the face of it, the murder appears to be sectarian-motivated but it will be established only after the investigations are completed,” a police official, asking not to be named, said.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2012.