Security threat: Traffic between Ghizer, Chitral via Shandur Pass suspended
The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government barred traffic on the road linking Ghizer to Chitral via the Shandur Pass on Saturday after the ministry of interior warned of a possible attack similar to the Babusar massacre on the route.
“We cannot afford to allow traffic on the road due to security threats to passengers,” Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) G-B headquarters Ali Sher told The Express Tribune.
Officials of the G-B government informed that the ministry of interior recently wrote them a letter in which it warned about a possible terrorist attack on the Ghizer - Chitral road. The ministry stated that the attack could be similar to the ones that occurred in Babusar and Kohistan, in which passengers, mostly Shias, were hauled off of busses and shot dead, the officials said.
DIG Sher concurred with the interior ministry’s warning, saying that possibility of terrorists infiltrating into G-B has intensified as most of areas along the route are left unmanned by the end of the summer season.
Sher said the G-B government can provide security to transporters on the route in its territory, but added that these efforts will not suffice unless the government Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) fully reciprocates (on the route)the measures it is taking for the safety of travellers on the Karakoram Highway (KKH).
“But since the K-P government is already providing security to vehicles on the KKH, between Gilgit and Rawalpindi, it is not able to provide security to vehicles on the Ghizer - Chitral road,” he said. He added that during the summers, the G-B government had deputed police contingents along the route in Ghizer District as a precautionary measure.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2012.
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very sad news can any one tell me why these terrorist are after innocent people? is it sect or some thing else? or they just dont wana see a shia dominant goverment in GB.
very sad to hear such news about the pradise area of GB, it seem esteblishment has decideded to fully terify indiginious people of GB by the extremists groups who enjoying support from esteblishemnt since a long time, its the time to think over the situation by the people of GB, the sitaution is like GAZA strip in palastaine, where israil has traped the people by their forces here esteblishment has deployed its sister army along the borders of GB, the situation intesefied by esteblishemnt after the Visit of the USA emmbassy delegation to GB and their public meetings with true representative of the region, esteblishment felt this agreat threat for occupation and tirggere the activities through extremist groups , apporximatly 120 people have been killed after the USA delegation visit in 3 consective attacks of KKH on shia community, the majority part of population, the chitral shandur road is supposed to trvel by shia ismaili people which hace close bounds with chitral velly as it is the real part of GB occupied by KPK govt with help of esteblishment to cut GB from a great geographical link with the Russia and cenral Asian countries which has very close similarities with GB people in culture and other ties.