In a tragic incident on the Karakoram Highway in Chilas, at least eight people lost their lives, and 16 others were injured when unidentified assailants opened fire on a passenger bus.
The attack occurred on Saturday, and following the gunfire, the bus driver lost control, leading to a collision with a truck. This collision resulted in a fire that engulfed the truck.
The bus, originating from Ghizar district in Gilgit-Baltistan and heading towards Rawalpindi, was operated by a private company with the registration number BLN-4647.
In the wake of the attack, Deputy Commissioner of Chilas confirmed that the bodies and injured individuals were being transported to a nearby hospital. He labelled the assailants as “cowards” for their indiscriminate firing on the bus, leading to deaths and injuries. Efforts are underway to identify all the victims.
Gilgit-Baltistan’s Home Minister Shams Lone condemned the attack, calling it “open terrorism.” He assured that the authorities are committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice. Lone also mentioned that the possibility of Indian involvement in the attack cannot be disregarded, indicating an ongoing investigation into all potential leads.
