Situation in Gilgit remains peaceful: Press Note
Pakistan Times Northern Areas Bureau Report

GILGIT: The overall situation in Gilgit District remained peaceful and no untoward incident was reported today, said a press note issued by Sajid Baluch District Magistrate Gilgit on Sunday.

Agha Syed Zia-ud-din was evacuated to CMH Rawalpindi by helicopter.

Magistrates and Police were on joint patrolling through out the District. Curfew remained in Gilgit city and Pak Army kept strict watch on the situation.

Details

Troops patrolled the streets in Gilgit on Sunday to enforce a curfew imposed as the death toll of Saturday's violence rose to 14, officials said.

The unrest also affected two other towns of the Northern Areas, as hundreds of angry youth burnt tyres and blocked roads in Skardu, though there were no reports of any casualties, while the government also beefed up security in another town, Karimabad, where enraged crowds attacked local government offices.

Hospital officials said on Sunday that three more bodies were brought to hospital late on Saturday night, raising the death toll to 14. "Gilgit is under curfew and armed soldiers are patrolling the streets," a local administration official said.

The administration officials decided at a meeting to hand over of bodies of the killed to relatives for burials, he said. "The decision to hand over bodies, of those killed in yesterday’s incidents, to the families was taken at the meeting, but curfew will not be relaxed for burials," he said.

It was not known if any arrests had been made in connection with the murders in the northern Pakistani city.

Recap

As reported by 'Pakistan Times' in its edition of Sunday, January-9, Home Secretary Northern Areas imposed curfew on Saturday after eleven persons were killed in the city following incidents of violence by angry mobs.

Via a Press Note, the Deputy Commissioner had said that the Army contingents are patrolling the city. The Deputy Commissioner said that the situation is under control.

The Press Note added that a prominent religious leader Agha Ziauddin was wounded while one of his guards and a driver died when two terrorists opened fire at his vehicle around 12 noon on Saturday.

Another guard of Agha Ziauddin returned the fire. It killed one terrorist who did not appear to be local resident. The other terrorist fled the scene.

Grenade Recovered

One hand grenade was recovered from the terrorist who was killed by the bodyguard's fire.

The Magistrate and police rushed to the scene on being informed about the incident and ordered immediate patrolling of the city. The District Administration says that eleven persons were killed.

Prominent religious leaders Sheikh Ghulam Hyder, Sheikh Mirza Ali, Raziuddin and Qazi Nisar have urged the people to remain calm and peaceful.

Legislative Council condemns life attempt on Agha Ziauddin

The Members of Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) have strongly condemned the life attempt on Agha Ziauddin Rizvi in Gilgit on Saturday.

In a press release, issued after an emergency meeting held with Deputy Chief Executive Mir Ghuzanfar Ali Khan in the chair, they also condemned the killing of the innocent people in the incident.

The participants reaffirmed their resolve to work together for peace and the betterment of the area.

They urged the people to maintain peace in the area.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Speaker of Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC), Syed Asad Zaidi, members of the Council, Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, Mohammad Ali Akhtar, Ghulam Mohammad, Muzzafar Ali Advocate, Haji Abdul Qadoos, Abdul Hamid, Hmyatullah and Mohammad Iqbal.●