More than 4,000 people gathered at the ‘Siddiq Akbar’ intersection to protest against the incident. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
Thousands of people participated in a demonstration in Chilas town on Monday against the vicious massacre of foreign tourists near the base camp of Pakistan’s second highest peak – Nanga Parbat.
“We strongly condemn the brutal act which defamed the entire country especially Diamer valley,” said Taifoor Shah, a local leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, as he addressed the rally.
Tourism is one of the main sources of income for locals. Those committing such crimes want to deprive people of livelihood, pointed out Shah.
Life came to a standstill as traders closed their shops to express solidarity with the affected families. More than 4,000 people gathered at the ‘Siddiq Akbar’ intersection to protest against the incident; one which has been termed unprecedented in the history of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Armed men, dressed in Gilgit Scouts uniforms, stormed a camp at Kutgali near the base camp of Nanga Parbat early Sunday, and shot down 10 foreign mountaineers and a Pakistani guide at point blank range. A Chinese climber managed to escape the assault at the foot of Nanga Parbat, located in Diamer valley.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Haji Waheed termed the act a conspiracy against the public, aimed at derailing projects like the Diamer–Bhasha Dam and railway track project with China. These were announced by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently.
“Our enemies don’t want us to progress but we as a nation have to counter such plots,” said Waheed.
Among others, the rally was also addressed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal’s Shabbir Ahmad and Maulana Giyas who asked the government to arrest culprits and expose them to the public.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 25th, 2013.
COMMENTS (12)
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The so called terrorists killed the tourists, but what about our social terrorists including mullahs who accuse innocents of blasphemy and put them in jail for long.
At the peak season this tragedy was the worst one...the govt should find the killers...
“Our enemies don’t want us to progress but we as a nation have to counter such plots,” said Waheed." Since TTP has taken responsibility for this attack, does it means that TTP is against these SEZ or rail track or DAM projects? or he is beating a different drum?
Its no use crying over spill milk. You should not have let it happen at first place.
@Hitler:
The truth is that we are savages....We don't deserve any respect from the world.
Unfortunately unless the locals miscreants collaborated with the terrorists, this could not have happened. So these protests are useless unless we dig down in our own self and identify who these people are. The locals I am sure are well aware who these people are.
Few years back in the same area there was a sectarian attack on a bus in the same locality - Chilas.
So protesting now as livelihood of locals will suffer is too late. We do not realize how much money is involoved in tourism, till it dires out. Now the locals will realize no one wants to go there.
Someone please organize a big protest to show the world that we are not savages. If anyone can arrange a protest against this killings it would at least give some respect to Pakistan.
I know people will come out, we just need someone to organize a protest!
But then of course, the coward league - Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif, Fazl-ur-Rehman, Munawwar Hasan - would still want to "talk" to the militants.
The mountain soon will become 'no mans land'
Please also think of effect of such acts on the economy of indian kashmir