Three policemen martyred, two terrorists killed in attack on Gilgit checkpost

• Police say killed terrorists were involved in recent attacks on schools in Diamer

GILGIT: Three policemen were martyred while two terrorists were killed in an attack on a check post in Kargah Nullah area of Gilgit-Baltistan on Saturday.

According to sources, a group of five terrorists attacked a police check post in the Kargah area. As a result, three policemen embraced martyrdom; however in retaliatory firing, two terrorists were also killed, while their accomplices fled the scene. Police said that the terrorists were involved in recent attacks on schools in Diamer.

Soon after the incident, Police called the addition contingent and started a search operation in the area.

The bodies and injured were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital Gilgit for autopsies and treatment, respectively.

GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq paid tribute to the martyred personnel and said that security has been put on high alert across the province.

There will be no compromise on the government’s writ, he added.

A number of terrorist attacks have been reported in Gilgit-Baltistan in past few days.

ATTACK ON GIRLS’ SCHOOLS, SESSION JUDGE: 

Earlier this month, 13 schools for girls were attacked and torched in Chilas, which is 130 kilometers away from GB. It was also reported that militants set off bombs in two of them.

After the attacks, the police search operations were launched in the region during which 16 suspects were arrested, the GB government said.

On August 5, a district and sessions judge also came under attack after assailants fired shots at the judge’s vehicle in Daryal area of Diamer district.

Police said that the assailants fired at district and sessions judge Malik Inayat’s vehicle. Although the car was badly damaged, the judge escaped unharmed. The judge had reportedly not been alerted of the security threat by police.

Talking to a private media outlet, the judge denied reports that he was accompanied by his family at the time of the attack and said that he was alone in the car at the time.

Judge Malik said, “My car was fired at different spots over a distance of two kilometers. But instead of stopping my car, I kept driving really fast.”

MILITARY OPERATION ON CARDS: 

On August 6, a meeting of local authorities, police and army officials was held and it was briefed on a possible operation against miscreants as the forces commanders agreed to apprehend all suspects involved in the schools’ ransack.

Sources at Tanger said that the area had virtually become a no-go area for the civilian administration. Though GB Spokesman Faizullah Faraq said that the CM would visit the violence-hit areas soon, he did not give a date for the same, reflecting the gravity of the situation on the ground.

The locals have also demanded the army to conduct operations across Diamer district. Though GB government is reluctant to opt for a military operation against the miscreants, the administration, led by the chief secretary, is in favour of a military operation.