8 dead, 26 injured as terrorists open fire on bus in PoK's Gilgit Baltistan

At least eight people were killed and 26 others injured when terrorists opened fire on a passenger bus in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's Gilgit Baltistan region on Saturday.

As per officials, the bus was reportedly travelling from Gilgit to Rawalpindi when terrorists opened indiscriminate fire around 6:30 pm in Chilas.

The driver reportedly lost control after the attack and the bus collided with a truck coming from the opposite side.

Deputy Commissioner Chilas Arif Ahmed said that five of the eight people killed in the attack have been identified so far. He said 26 others have been injured and shifted to a nearby hospital.

The Deputy Commissioner said that two army soldiers, who were in the bus, were also among the dead and one personnel of the Special Protection Unit was injured in the attack. 

He said most of the people belong hail from Kohistan, Peshawar, Ghizer, Chilas, Roundu, Skardu, Mansehra and Swabi regions and one or two people were from Sindh. The condition of several people are stated to be critical and the death toll was expected to rise further.

The terrorists managed to escape from the scene after the attack. As per the police, an investigation has been launched into the attack and a search operation was on to catch the terrorists. Nobody has taken responsibility for the attack so far. 

Earlier in 2013, gunmen stormed a camping site of climbers in Gilgit Baltistan and killed nine foreigners.