G-B Assembly: Resolution passed to condemn massacre of tourists, investigation officers

Lawmakers seek briefing on delays in construction of new building for the legislative body.

GILGIT:

The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution jointly condemning the murders of foreign tourists at the foot of Nanga Parbat in June and of investigation officials probing the incident in Chilas town on August 6.

The resolution was tabled by a lawmaker of the treasury bench, Syed Raziuddin, on the second day of the current assembly session chaired by Speaker Wazir Baig. It demanded strict punishment for the perpetrators who “brought a bad name not only to G-B but the entire country by killing foreign tourists and then the security officials who were investigating the incident.”

Raziuddin also appreciated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for mentioning the incident during his maiden address to the nation on Monday.

A lawmaker from Diamer valley, Sarwar Shah, urged the speaker to ensure innocent people in the valley are not harassed during the course of the investigation. “We condemn the barbaric acts and that is why we have extended full support to law enforcement agencies so they can arrest the killers,” he added.

The speaker included the lawmaker’s reservation in the resolution before it was unanimously passed by the house.

Earlier, Adviser to G-B Chief Minister on Tourism Sadia Danish told the house Shandur Polo Festival was cancelled due to floods while another festival to be held in Fairy Meadows was postponed first due to Ramzan and then because of security concerns following the killing of tourists in Diamer valley.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) lawmaker Rahmat Khaliq sought a reply from the treasury benches on why the new building of the G-B Assembly had not been completed on time, upon which Speaker Baig asked Minister for Works Bashir Ahmed to arrange a briefing for the house on the construction site.

Lawmakers from Ghizer valley, Nawaz Naji and Ayub Shah told the house the recent floods destroyed roads, fields and orchards in the area. They urged the government to start the rehabilitation process immediately, saying the district administration and public works department officials were not listening to their grievances. Upon this, Baig instructed senior ministers to do the needful within one month.

On June 23, Tehreek-e-Taliban gunmen overran a mountaineering base camp and shot dead 10 foreign climbers and their local cook at the foot of Nanga Parbat. On August 6, the militants struck again and gunned down three security officials investigating the incident.

The G-B Assembly had unanimously adopted a resolution on June 25 as well to condemn the cold-blooded murder of the tourists.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2013.