Terrorists’ Objectives:  Killing 11 Tourists in Diamer

By Zaheerul Hassan

Unidentified, armed terrorists have   killed 10 foreign tourists and a Pakistani guide in Diamer area that is located in remote part of northern Pakistan. Another report reveal that the number of tourists dead in the incident counted 11, which included five Ukrainian, three Chinese, while one Russian and one Pakistani. A search and rescue operation has begun in the area. No group has yet claimed responsibility.  The sources said that attackers were wearing Gilgit Scouts uniform. The tourists were taking rest in the base camp of   Naga Nanga Prabat at Fairy Meadow, near Diamer of Gilgit-Biltistan.  

The unprecedented attack in Pakistan's normally peaceful Himalayan region is spotlighting the conspicuous increase in violence throughout the country; just weeks after a new civilian government took office vowing to quell militancy. The Himalayas Range in northern Pakistan offers five the highest peaks for the amazing climb in the world. Its peaks are a magnet for experienced mountaineers, often from Europe.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Syed Mehdi Shah promptly condemned the attack in an area of the far-flung north not previously associated with violence that plagues other parts of the country. In this regard Nawaz said, "Such acts of cruelty and inhumanity would not be tolerated and every effort would be made to make Pakistan a safe place for tourists.”

Notably, Diamer-Bhasha Dam is also under-construction on the River Indus nearer to tourists’ killing area of Gilgit-Baltistan.  Its foundation stone was laid by Former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani of Pakistan on 18 October 2011 and will be completed after 12 years.  The dam site is situated near a place called "Bhasha" in Gilgit-Baltistan's Diamer District, hence the name. It will  produce 4,500 megawatts of electricity; (ii) store an extra 8,500,000 acre feet (10.5 km3) of water; (iii) extend the life of Tarbela Dam located downstream by 35 years; and last but not the least will help in  controlling the  flood damage in the downstream of Indus River.

Anyhow, the attackers’ objectives could be to jeopardize future foreign expeditions by mountaineers, spoiling Pak-China relationship, stopping investors from investing money in an unsafe country and create panic in the Chinese engineers working on Diamer-Bahasha Dam Project.

Thus, the stated objectives very clearly indicate that same hands are behind tourists killing who are suspects against attacks in Mardan, Ziarat, Peshawar, Quetta and Karachi.  We can also make out from the ongoing militancy that, CIA, RAW, Mossad Afghan Intelligence Agencies and MI-6 have zoned out Pakistan into their area of operations into North, North West and West.  These foreign agencies are funding militant organization to spread sectarianism, separation of Balochistan, promote anarchy and political instability. Moreover, their obvious intentions are to portray Pakistan as an insecure nation and unsafe country and we can unquestionably recognize them as U.S., India and Britain. We as nation instead roaring on past  should  come on same page to defeat foreign agenda and militancy for the peaceful and bright future.