Shooting at vehicles of prominent cleric and High Court judge in Gilgit leaves 5 wounded

Unknown gunmen in Gilgit opened fire on the vehicles of a prominent cleric and a High Court judge in two separate incidents, wounding five people.

According to details, Gilgit-Baltistan Interior Minister Shams Lone said that unknown attackers fired in front of the police headquarters, injuring prominent cleric Maulana Qazi Nisar Ahmad along with his driver and a guard, five people in total. He added that the condition of all the wounded is stable.

The interior minister said the second incident occurred at noon near the city hospital, where unknown gunmen fired at the vehicle of Senior High Court Judge Malik Inayat-ur-Rahman; the judge miraculously remained unharmed.

He made it clear that no one will be allowed to disturb the area’s peace and that the terrorists will be crushed. Conspiratorial elements trying to destroy the region’s harmony will be taught a lesson.

Meanwhile, provincial government spokesman Faizullah Firaq said the firing on the vehicle of the preacher of the central Ahle Sunnat Jama Masjid, Maulana Qazi Nisar Ahmad, took place as his car was passing in front of the Central Police Office.

As a result of the attack, Maulana Qazi Nisar Ahmad, two of his security guards and his driver were injured; all are out of danger and have suffered minor wounds. They are receiving treatment at the city hospital.

He said he had no information about attackers being captured in a wounded state.

After the shootings, fear spread through Gilgit city and all markets and shops closed, leaving the streets deserted.

A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said information indicates the attackers fled after abandoning two vehicles they had been using.