FC soldier martyred in armed attack on forest post in Diamer

GILGIT: A Frontier Constabulary (FC) [now Federal Force] soldier was martyred after unidentified gunmen opened fire on a forest check post in the Thore area of Diamer, district of Gilgit-Baltistan in the early hours of Sunday, officials said.

According to Raja Ishfaq Tahir, spokesperson for the Diamer Deputy Commissioner, the incident took place at around 2:30 AM when the soldier, identified as Muhammad Gulsher, a resident of Dera Ismail Khan, was on duty.

“Armed assailants opened fire on the post while the soldier was performing his duty. The remaining personnel at the post were resting at the time,” Tahir said, adding that the soldier died on the spot. He said the attackers also took away his official weapon before fleeing the scene under the cover of darkness.

Tahir said the motive behind the attack is yet to be determined. A search operation has been launched in the area.

Later, funeral prayers for the slain soldier were offered at the police lines in Chilas. His body was subsequently sent to his hometown for burial.

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan strongly condemned the attack, calling it “an unacceptable act of terrorism against a state official.” In a statement, the chief minister said he had directed the Home Department to submit a report on the incident and ensure the immediate arrest of those involved.

He also prayed for the elevation of the martyr’s rank in the hereafter and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family.

It is pertinent to mention that the Gilgit-Baltistan government had diverted all public transport plying on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) to the Babusar route due to security concerns, following rising sectarian tensions in the region. The move came after the death of a man from Kohistan during a clash that broke out on the 8th of Muharram in the Chamogarh area of Gilgit earlier this month.

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