Thursday, August 16, 2012
Press Release
August 16, 2012
25 Shias of Gilgit Baltistan pulled down from 4 vehicles and gunned down by militants near Abottabad
Gilgit Baltistan National Congress condemns the mass Shia killing incident which took place on Thursday August 16. The assailants wearing military uniforms gunned down the passengers at point blank range after identifying the Shias from their documents. There are conflicting reports of incident taking place near Mansehra or Babusar top on the way to Chilas. It is also not clear whether the buses were heading towards Gilgit, Astore or Skardo.
It is also stated as claimed by Dr. Sajjad Ali Astori, that the incident took place at about 7 am when three buses, heading from Islamabad to Astore, and a van heading to Gilgit, were attacked by about 30-40 assailants wearing military commondo uniforms. After the ambush, the assailants then allowed Sunni passengers to leave towards Astore and left the scene without resistance. Out of 25 dead, 13 were from Astore. Some of the names that have come on social media networks are Qari Mohammad Hanif, Ghulam Nabi, Musharaf, Yaqoob, Dr.Nisar, Dolat Ali, Ishiytaq, Sajid, M. Mazhar, Jalauddin, M. Mustafa and Ijlal. Many injured are in serious condition and number of deaths could increase. According to reports, two dead bodies have been sent to Skardo while four have been taken to Dinyor and Bagrote valleys.
Political parties of Gilgit Baltistan including GBDA, BNF, GBUM, KNM and PYF have condemned the incident and accused Pakistani intelligence services of providing patronage to the anti-Shia militants. It is feared that Shia killings will continue until the strategic region of Gilgit Baltistan has a Shia majority population. The region connects Pakistan with China and Central Asia and intelligence agencies see Shia majority as a threat to their control over this strategic corridor.
Similar attacks by pro-Pak militants on Shia majority populations in the strategic valley of Parachinar have forced tens of thousands of Shias to abandon their homes, now converting Parachinar into a Sunni region. Parachinar provides direct access to Pakistani troops to Ghazni, Gardez and central Afghanistan. It is feared that similar strategies are being implemented in Quetta, which beighbors Kandahar and Helmand provinces of Afghanistan, and where Hazaras make up almost one-third of capital's population. After the incident near Babusar, three Shias were gunned down in Quetta on August 16, 2012.
Pakistan's anti minority policy compells GBNC and other organizations to demand that the state department should grant a CPC status to Pakistan and impose restrictions on activities of Pakistani secret service agencies and their militant allies.
At the same time, United Nations and USA are requested to pressure Pakistan to open travel and trade routes towards Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Indian Ladakh so that Shias are not forced to travel on the roads that have become killing fields and virtually controlled by ISI-led militants like Lashkar Toaiba, Lashkar Jhangvi and Sipah Sihaba.