Chilas bus attack: brave woman survivor airlifted to Islamabad

GILGIT: Roshan Bibi, a woman who had sustained six bullets during an attack on a bus in Chilas recently while saving her children and husband, was flown to Islamabad for advanced medical treatment via a special army helicopter M-17.

During the Chilas bus attack, as shots were fired by the attackers indiscriminately inside the bus passing though a mountainous terrain, Roshan Bibi displayed extraordinary courage and threw her two children and husband to the floor and shielded them with her own body.

In this act of incredible bravery, Roshan Bibi sustained six bullets, yet her children and husband remained unharmed.

Grand peace jirga

Meanwhile, a ‘grand peace jirga’ was held on Friday at the Karakoram University Diamer campus. The jirga was attended by Gilgit-Baltistan’s Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, Force Commander Gilgit-Baltistan Major General Kashif Khalil, Chief Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan Abrar Ahmad Mirza, DG GB Scouts Arsalan Mirza, provincial ministers, religious scholars and prominent figures from Diamer, along with a large number of the general public.

The assembly unanimously condemned the recent tragic incident at Hudur. They called upon the force commander to ensure that only those directly involved in the incident were apprehended.

The community leaders emphatically requested that the response should be targeted and specific, advocating against any actions that would inconvenience or disturb the broader population of Diamer.

Enhanced security along KKH

Meanwhile, following the recent terrorist attack in the Hudur area of Chilas, the chairman and members of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council have penned a letter to the federal interior minister, calling for enhanced security measures along the strategic Karakoram Highway.

Chilas bus attack: security beefed up on Karakorum Highway

The letter, undersigned by Chairman Muhammad Ayub Shah, expressed deep concern over the security incident last Sunday, where terrorists targeted a passenger bus.

“This alarming event has sparked fear among residents and transporters in the region, prompting urgent calls for bolstered safety measures to safeguard lives and property,” the letter said.

Highlighting the implications of the attack, the council members stressed the importance of securing the Karakoram Highway, a vital route for regional connectivity and economic activity. The letter also drew attention to the safety of Chinese engineers and local residents involved in critical infrastructure projects, including the Dasu and Diamer-Basha dams.

“The infrastructure projects and economic opportunities generated by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have played a vital role in improving the living standards of the people of Pakistan,” the letter reads.

The council members conveyed their apprehension that such incidents could be orchestrated to undermine the peace in Gilgit-Baltistan and derail the progress of CPEC and dam projects.

They noted that these developments have not only improved the living standards in Pakistan but also cemented the strong bilateral ties between Pakistan and China. The letter emphasized the need for a swift and effective response to ensure that such malicious attempts by enemy forces to disrupt this partnership and peace in the region are thwarted.