GILGIT: The government will deploy special police squads on a main road here to ensure the safety of residents and tourists, Northern Areas police chief Dil Pazeer said on Thursday. Gunmen have attacked vehicles, injuring people on the road to Gilgit, where sectarian violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims killed 15 in January. "We are aware of the situation, and we hope the new measures will help avoid any future incident," said the police chief. He did not say how many policemen would be deployed on the road.Pazeer said police were also trying to disarm people in Gilgit and they were in touch with local clerics to ensure sectarian harmony, "and they have assured us of their full support." Officials said local Sunni and Shia leaders signed a peace accord last week to respect each other" faith and help settle disputes. The accord follows the slaying of prominent Shia cleric Agha Ziauddin in January that sparked the violence. Authorities had imposed a curfew and called in army and paramilitary troops. The curfew was lifted later but security forces still man roadblocks in the town.