Sakwar killings: Three suspects arrested in attack on police vehicle

GILGIT:

Three people suspected of involvement in an attack on the police last week were arrested in Gilgit on Monday.

Constables Muhammad Bilal and Sher Bahadur were attacked by armed men in Sakwar on August 24 when they were heading to a police training centre. Sher Bahadur succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, while Bilal was critically injured.

“Three people are being interrogated with respect to the attack,” said SSP Ali Zia, adding all men are residents of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Police further said they have a hunch on who was behind the killing of a civilian half an hour later in the same area.

Although the situation in the city normalised after the attack, individuals and vehicles entering the city are still being stopped for a search.

Last week’s attack on the police came a month after three security men, including an army colonel, an SP and a captain, who were investigating the murders at the Nanga Parbat base camp, were shot dead in Chilas.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2013.