GILGIT: Pakistan Army, for the first time, entered the remote northern town of Chilas, headquarters of Diamer District, 128 km off Gilgit, to conduct an operation to arrest miscreants behind the killing of security officials and other terrorist activities.
“Troops of the Pakistan Army have entered the city and it is totally cordoned off and some four localities were searched out for particular people,” an official of administration said requesting not to be named.
He disclosed that only the top military officials were leading the operation so details about what had been achieved so far was neither known by the administration nor police had any idea in this regard.
An army colonel, a captain and a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), investigating the June 23 killing of nine foreign tourists and one of their Pakistani guides in the area, were killed on August 6.
The victims of the mountain assault included climbers from China, Lithuania, Nepal, Slovakia, Ukraine and one person with joint US-Chinese citizenship. One Chinese climber had escaped the attack.
Helicopters of Army Aviation kept hovering over the small town while exit and entry points of the city were sealed and people coming from far flung parts faced hardship to get access to the hospitals.
The people in this remote area spent the Eid Day inside their homes after gathering at the congregation and offering prayers because the city was heavily flooded with troops.“It is unique and unusual so people got scared and preferred to remain at home because movements of the residents were already restricted by the troops in the heart of city where they initiated an operation,” witnesses said.
The markets were closed and intra-city movements were also restricted but people had access to hospitals with patients but only inside the town. However, some shops were opened in the late evening, said a resident.
Dwellers of the town were experiencing a new phenomenon which they never thought of in their lives as military troops kept patrolling in the town and people saw them from the windows of their homes.
The prayers leader in the town of Chilas, who led the prayers on Eid Congregation, Maulana Muhammad Ayaz came down hard on those who were behind attack on foreigners and three high profile security officials.
“How can we say they are Muslims? They are not even humans. We strongly condemn the barbaric acts and want government to push them behind the bars,” he spoke to the huge crowd.
Separately, in an usual move at another place Darel valley, some 80 KMs west of Chilas, Brugi village, witnessed arrival of troops who cordoned off the area and looked for some men.
The operation was led by Muhammad Navid, ASP Headquarters Chilas, recently given charge of the Superintendent of Police following assassination of the Senior Superintendent of Police Hilal Ahmed.Police remained tight lipped and did not leak any information regarding the operation while administration officials avoided phone calls.
However, another Police official said GB Scouts, Frontier Constabulary and Police Force were also assigned various duties. “The only thing I can tell you four localities in the town, namely KKH area, Jalil Muhallah, Shaheen Kowt and Takkia points are searched hitherto,” said the official wanting not to be named because he was not authorised to be quoted anywhere.There was no resistance from the public and the operation went underway smoothly, he added.http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-24734-Pak-Army-conducts-targeted-operation-in-Chilas
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