False alarm: Explosives meant for construction, presumed deadly

Police and other law enforcement personnel rushed to the CM's house after receiving information about a terror plot.

GILGIT:

Initially presumed to be a terror plot against the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) chief minister, law enforcers on Wednesday later realised the explosives found near Mehdi Shah’s residence were part of the material used to demolish construction.

Panic-stricken police and dozens of personnel from other law enforcement agencies rushed to the chief minister’s (CM) house late night after receiving information regarding a possible terror plot.

During the consequent search operation, two partially broken concrete pillars stuffed with explosives were found next to Shah’s residence in Gilgit. However, police discovered the explosives were actually meant to destroy the gate pillars which were to be replaced with a boundary wall.

The explosive-laden pillars had been left in place for the past five months by the contractor supervising the work, after Shah himself had disallowed their use in breaking the pillars near his house.

“It was not a possible terror plot; rather it was laxity on part of the labourers and contractor,” said a spokesman for the CM, culling down rumours of a possible terror plot.

Senior Superintendent Police Ali Zia said not only was the chief minister aware of the explosives, their amount was not enough to cause any considerable damage in the area. “It was a minor incident and we removed the explosives from the vicinity.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2013.