Officials stated on Sunday that nine people—including two off-duty army personnel—were murdered after militants opened fire on a bus that was passing through northern Pakistan. The vehicle then collided with an approaching truck and caught fire.
around least five extremists attacked the bus on Saturday around 6:30 p.m. local time (1330 GMT) from both sides.
“Following the firing, the bus lost control and collided with an oncoming truck. Subsequently, both vehicles caught fire. Among the casualties are both drivers,” said Arif Ahmed Khan, a senior government official for the district.
He said eight people died at the scene while one person later died in hospital.
Among the dead were two army soldiers who were on leave, and there were also 25 wounded.
The attack took place close to Chilas in Gilgit-Baltistan, on one of the numerous routes of the historic Silk Road, which traces the Karakoram Highway connecting Islamabad, the nation’s capital, to the hilly north and China.
The bus was headed south to Rawalpindi, a garrison city next to the capital.
Although sectarian violence between Sunni and Shiite Muslims has long plagued the region, no group has taken credit for the attack.
Chilas, a town within the popular tourist destination of Gilgit-Baltistan, lies close to the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, a Chinese-backed mega project being built on the River Indus.
