Worst sectarian killing; Section 144 imposed in Gilgit

Photo: Shia muslims killed at Harban, Kohistan on February 28

GILGIT: The district administration has imposed section 144 in Gilgit city to maintain law and order situation in the city after a brutal incident of sectarian killing at Harban, the northern eastern district of Kohistan, in the early morning today.

About four buses, being headed towards Gilgit from Rawalpindi, were stopped by unknown assailants on KKH at Harban, pulling all the passengers out of their seats. The terrorists got all the passengers lined up in order to identify out the believers of shia faith by checking up their National Identity Cards. After making sure, the terrorists started shooting them out, killing 16 people on the spot and injuring 7 others. After turning the KKH into the pool of blood in just few minutes, the terrorist scaped the scene very easily. Later, Jindullah, an autlawd terrorist group, active mostly in Iran, claimed responsibility of the attack.

The bodies and those injured were immediately shifted to near by hospital at Shatyal for initial treatment and medico legal procedures and later shifted to Gilgit City.

Out of 16, who were killed, one was from Nagar, two from Astore, and remaing 13 people were from Gilgit. The dead bodies and those injured, were later brought to Gilgit by Helicopters.

Following the incident, people came out on the streets in Gilgit and Skudu to protest against the worst incident of target killing. The protestors set ablaze two mosques in the city, and damaged several shops and public property. In subsequent incidents, two people were injure when unidentified persons opened fire near Yadgar Chawk.

The district administration has imposed section 144 in the city while all government and private institutions/organization have been closed for three days.