Addressing a news conference, Diamer Deputy Commissioner Captain (retd) Arif Ahmad said the tragic incident occurred at 6:30pm in the Hudur area of Chilas when the bus came under fire and went on to collide with an oncoming truck.
He added that the passenger bus had set off from Gahkuch in Ghizer and described the attack as a “cowardly” act.
The official said most of the passengers martyred in the attack hailed from across the country, including Kohistan, Peshawar, Ghizer, Chilas, Roundu, Skardu, Mansehra, Swabi and one or two people from Sindh.
The Diamer DC added that two Pakistan Army soldiers were among the people martyred in the attack. He added that a member of the Special Protection Unit was injured as well.
Diamer Superintendent of Police Sardar Shehryar said the first responders on the scene were Karakoram Highway (KKH) police personnel.
He added that they shifted the bodies and injured people to a hospital. “When I reached there, the bus was still on fire, which was extinguished,” he added.
The official added that the truck driver had also embraced martyrdom in the attack and his body was shifted as well.
The SP said the other vehicles present at the scene – including those coming to and from towards Dasu -- taken away from there in the form of a convoy.
He continued that the place where the attack took place had been cordoned off to collect evidence.
The injured people, who include women and children, have been admitted to Regional Headquarters Hospital Chilas.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack and the motive for the shooting was not clear.
Expressing his condemnation, G-B Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan termed the attack on the passenger bus as a cowardly act of terrorism, according to a statement issued by his office.
He announced the formation of a special investigation team to thoroughly probe into the incident.
The G-B chief minister assured that those involved in the heinous attack would face the full force of the law, and their arrest would be a top priority for the regional government. He added that the G-B government would cover all the expenses related to the medical treatment of the injured.
“The government of Gilgit-Baltistan stands with the affected individuals in this difficult time. The blood of the martyrs will not go in vain, and all the murderers will be brought to justice,” the statement quoted Khan as saying.
He emphasised his government's commitment to maintaining peace in G-B, stating that any attempts to sabotage security in the region would not be tolerated.
Special Assistant to G-B Chief Minister on Information, Iman Shah, echoed Khan’s sentiments, highlighting the government's resolve to enforce immediate arrests and justice for the culprits.
PPP co-chairperson and former president Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the incident, calling for stringent penalties for the perpetrators.
He extended his condolences to the families of the martyrs and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
Chilas lies in the mountainous region of Gilgit-Baltistan, near the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where attacks have been rising in recent months, including some claimed by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Earlier this week, Pakistan conveyed a list of demands, including the handing over of former TTP leader Hafiz Gul Bahadur, whose group claimed responsibility for the November 26 suicide attack in Bannu town of K-P.
Diamer police on Sunday lodged a first information report (FIR) and arrested six suspects in connection with an attack on an Islamabad-bound bus in Gilgit-Baltistan’s (GB) Chilas a day earlier
At least twelve people, including two soldiers, lost their lives and 21 passengers received injuries on Saturday evening after unknown gunmen targeted a bus from nearby hills which caused the vehicle to collide with a goods truck.
The interior minister of GB had said the bus driver stepped on the accelerator due to the firing which led to its head-on collision with a goods truck. He had equated the gun attack with terrorism.
So far, no organisation has accepted responsibility for the incident.
Speaking to media today, the public relations officer (PRO) for the Diamer commissioner said a case had been registered against unknown miscreants by Diamer SHO Azmat Shah.
“Six suspects have been taken into custody at two police stations so far,” PRO Raja Ashfaq Tahir said.
The official said all entry and exit points of GB had been closed and security in the region was on high alert. The police have launched search operations across Diamer and traffic on the Karakoram Highway would remain suspended today, Tahir added.
Diamer Deputy Commissioner retired Captain Arif Ahmad also confirmed the same developments to Dawn.com.
Separately, Chilas Assistant commissioner Sadaqat Ali said the funeral prayers of the deceased had been offered with GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan and top army officials in attendance. The bodies were later dispatched to their hometowns by Rescue 1122.
Earlier, GB Interior Minister Shams Lone visited injured persons at the Chilas hospital and directed the medical staff to ensure the provision of the best medical care.
On the other hand, hundreds of passengers traveling to Gilgit Baltistan were stranded in Bisham, Kohistan and other areas due to the closure of the Karakoram Highway.
Muhammad Didar, a hotel owner in Bisham, told Dawn.com that he had provided free accommodation to stranded passengers, including women and children.
Protests were also held in Chilas and Hunza against the incident. The demonstrators demanded immediate action and the arrest of the culprits.
Meanwhile, in a statement, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar affirmed that anti-state elements would not be allowed to sabotage peace in GB.
According to state-run Radio Pakistan, the premier condemned the incident. He said the war against terrorism would continue till the complete elimination of terrorism in the country.
He expressed deep grief over the martyrdom of innocent citizens in the incident and prayed for the patience of the bereaved families.
PM Kakar added that targeting unarmed civilians was a proof of the terrorists’ cowardice.