assassins who killed 11 foreign tourists in Nanga Parbat in June wanted to kidnap them for ransom. PHOTO: FACEBOOK.COM/HUNZAGUIDESPAKISTAN
ISLAMABAD:
Senate’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations disclosed on Tuesday that the assassins who killed 11 foreign tourists in Nanga Parbat in June wanted to kidnap them for ransom.
Putting forward an investigation report on the incident, Home Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Dr Attaur Rehman said that the militants had not planned to kill the tourists but, instead, wanted to kidnap the group to demand ransom. However, one of the militants fire at them, killing ten of them and their cook.
He stated that four out of eleven miscreants who massacred the foreign tourists had been arrested. Six others were nabbed in connection with the killing of Senior Superintendent Police, Diamer, one army colonel and one army major who were investigating the shooting of the tourists.
He informed the committee that the arrested persons were being tried under the Anti-Terrorist Act and a complete challan will be submitted within days.
The home secretary further revealed that the incident was not sectarian in nature and aimed exclusively at terrorising. “Most of the culprits of these gruesome incidents have direct or indirect links with the militants in the tribal areas and some of them even have been part of militant activities in Afghanistan,” he said.
Rehman also informed the committee that a significant number of youngsters from G-B were now moving toward the tribal areas. He dubbed their move as ‘suspicious’ and added that G-B administration had prepared a list of such youth and was keeping a watchful eye at them.
“We have warned them and their parents a number of times about the suspicious activities,” said the home secretary. “Action against them will be taken once concrete evidence is available,” he added.
The committee praised security agencies for their role in apprehending all the perpetrators and executors of the vicious plan. The G-B administration was asked to update the committee on the trial on monthly basis.
Furthermore, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Chaudhry Barjis Tahir assured that the government was making all efforts to ensure security to tourists visiting G-B.
He said that a summary for instituting a 2,000-strong special force to patrol the Karakoram Highway (KKH) had been prepared and would be tabled before the federal cabinet for approval.
He further said that to promote tourism, the government had taken a number of steps and organised the Silk Route Festival recently. Diplomats from as many as 22 countries were brought to GB. They showed interest in investment in the region.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2013.
COMMENTS (11)
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The tourists inflamed the religious sentiments of the locals by refusing to be kidnapped peacefully. They deserved what they got - no person in his right mind would want to "tour or visit" Pakistan.
@Gurion - you clearly dont know Islam teachings , so rather keep shut on sentences which you cant comprehend.
So the committee found that the militants were basically good taliban , who just wanted to kidnap and one bad taliban ( may be by mistake ) , shot them.
I suppose the militants only wanted to pump bullets into the tourists peacefully. It's the tourists' fault that they died of it !
@MKS:
But killing infidels, confiscating their property, accepting their women as left-handed wives and enslaving their children is made halal for the believer isn't it ? How can you punish an act of such enormous spiritual virtue?
The findings are quite ambiguous stating that militants did not want to kill the tourists and only wanted to kidnap them for ransom, but they did open fire to kill them. Hence the first part becomes totally irrelevant, and it is also not clarified what provoked them to do the killing. It is also not clear whether there was only one killer or eleven mentioned later. ET either publish the complete report to clarify these discrepancies or don't block this comment.
But they did kill. they must get punishment what Islam commands for killing.
I wonder if it would have been better if such a 'report' had not been published at all. The report makes the incident seem even worse.
Youngster moving? Give them jobs, invest in G-B in undeveloped areas. Educate them.. Will solve all ills
Why does this sounds as if the committe is trying to put a sorry face for the criminals. To kill or to abduct is both terrorisim. I seriously hope the court dont release the convicted on this context!