Gilgit-Baltistan Police have intensified the Chilas attack police combing operation after the deadly ambush on a police team in Thore Valley, arresting 15 suspects during a widening crackdown on terrorists and their alleged facilitators. The operation is being led by SP Diamer Shahryar Khan and will continue until all those involved in the attack are brought to justice. Officials said the arrested suspects are being interrogated.
The fresh operation follows Monday’s ambush on a police team returning from an anti-poppy mission near Thore Valley in Chilas. At least three police personnel were martyred in the attack, while five others, including a DSP, were wounded. The police team had been carrying out its third mission this year to destroy poppy cultivation in the remote area. Gilgit-Baltistan police say the campaign was aimed at stopping drug cultivation and protecting future generations from narcotics.
Police link attack to anti-poppy drive
In a video message, IGP Dr Akbar Nasir Khan said the police operation targeted remote valleys where poppy is cultivated, taking advantage of the difficult terrain. He said terrorists attacked the returning team to keep the area beyond the reach of law enforcement and protect their safe havens. He also vowed strict action against those behind the assault. The IGP said Gilgit-Baltistan Police, GB Scouts, Pakistan Army, and other security agencies would coordinate to restore peace and defeat elements trying to disrupt law and order.
Security was placed on high alert in Gilgit after threats of terrorist attacks on police installations. As a result, security has been tightened at religious places, key installations, and offices of security agencies. Police say precautionary arrangements are in place as the search for attackers continues. That broader alert shows the authorities are treating the ambush not as an isolated incident, but as part of a wider threat to regional security.
The latest crackdown highlights the overlap between militancy and illegal drug cultivation in remote parts of Diamer district. For the police, the mission is not only about arresting those linked to the ambush. It is also about breaking the networks that use difficult terrain to shield both poppy cultivation and armed activity. With 15 suspects already in custody, authorities say the operation will continue until those responsible are fully identified and brought to justice.
