Third Nanga Parbat attack perpetrator arrested: Police

The attacker is one of 16 involved in the attacks on tourists at Nanga Parbat's base camp.

GILGIT: Another accused believed to be involved in the cold-blooded murder of 11 tourists at the Nanga Parbat base camp last month has been arrested, taking the tally to three, police said on Thursday.

“The total number of the accused arrested so far is three,” said Ali Sher, a deputy inspector general police on Thursday.

In a press conference last week, the former Chief Secretary and Inspector General Police of Gilgit-Baltistan disclosed the identities of the 16 people who had allegedly executed 10 foreigners and their Pakistani guide in an ‘unprecedented attack in G-B’s history’.

“They are being investigated by a special investigation team,” he told The Express Tribune by phone.

The perpetrators caught so far have been identified as Shafiq, Abdul Malik and Omar who were arrested from Chilas, headquarter of Diamer valley where the second highest peak of Pakistan – Nanga Parbat – is situated.

Sher said that more arrests would follow as police and other law enforcing agencies had stepped up efforts to find the accused.

Federal minister for Gilgit – Baltistan and Kashmir affairs, Barjis Tahir who was on his maiden official visit to the region, handed over a check of Rs1 million to the family of Pakistani guide - Ali Hussain - killed in the armed assault carried out by terrorists wearing Gilgit Scouts uniform at the foot of the ‘Killer Mountain’.

“One of the relatives would also be provided a job in the G-B government health department,” the federal minister told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday in Gilgit.

Tahir, who visited the region three weeks after taking oath to his office said that terrorism would be eliminated from G-B while tourism would be promoted across the region.

“We had a tourism policy in progress when the Nanga Parbat incident happened which dealt a blow to our efforts,” he said, adding that tourism would be revived at all costs.