Firing on passenger bus leaves 8 dead, several injured in Chilas

CHILAS: Unidentified attackers opened fire on a passenger bus on Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Chilas city, leaving at least eight dead and 16 injured.

The firing led to a collision between the bus and a truck. Resultantly, the truck caught fire.

The bus was traveling from Ghizar district of Gilgit-Baltistan to Rawalpindi, the police added.

Diamer DC Captain (retd) Arif Ahmad told reporters the injured and bodies were shifted to a nearby hospital. "An unfortunate incident occurred in which a cowardly act was done, targeting a bus that set off from Gahkuch in Ghizer."

DC Ahmad said the bus bearing registration number BLN-4647 was owned by a private company. 

He said the "cowards" indiscriminately fired on the bus. "There are a total of eight bodies, out of which five have been identified and the rest are under process," he added.

G-B Home Minister Shams Lone termed the attack on the bus an “open terrorism” and pledged that the attackers would be brought to justice.

He also said that Indian involvement in the attack cannot be ruled out.