ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR/DIAMER: As many as 20 people lost their lives and another 55 were injured in a fresh wave of sectarian violence in Gilgit city on Tuesday. The district administration has imposed curfew in the city.Police officer Basharat Ali told AP that the violence began when five people were killed in Gilgit city in clashes between police and protesting Sunnis.
The banned organisation Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat had called for a strike in Gilgit to press the government to release its stalwarts. They were arrested for their alleged involvement in a firing incident on a Shia procession last month.
Reportedly, the extremist Sunni group
Mosques in Kashroot, hub of extremist Sunnis, made announcements to retaliate against Shias in Diamer and Kohistan districts.
The incident has also triggered anger in Baltistan where hundreds of Baltis carrying sophisticated weapons took to the streets to protest against the Shia killings.
According to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations, the city administration had called army to control the law and order situation. Nine people were killed when unidentified terrorists opened fire on a bus on Karakoram Highway (KKH) near Gonar Farm in Chilas.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Jamsheed Khan and two other police personnel were also injured and were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital. Police and rangers immediately reached the site to control the situation.
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Mehdi Shah ordered law enforcement agencies to take strict action against the terrorists. He said, “No one will be allowed to derail the peaceful environment in Gilgit-Baltistan.”