At least 8 killed, scores injured as passenger bus fired upon in Chilas

• Bus collided with truck after its driver lost control.
• Bus was traveling from Ghizar to Rawalpindi: police.
• G-B home minister terms attack an “open terrorism”. 

CHILAS: At least eight people were killed and 16 injured after unidentified assailants opened fire on a passenger bus on Karakoram Highway in Chilas, police said on Saturday.

Following the attack, the driver of the bus lost control and collided with a truck which ignited fire and burnt the truck. 

The bus was traveling from Ghizar district of Gilgit-Baltistan to Rawalpindi, the police added.

The deputy commissioner of Chilas said the injured and bodies were being shifted to a nearby hospital.

DC Ahmad said the bus bearing registration number BLN-4647 was owned by a private company.

He said the "cowards" indiscriminately fired on the bus. "There are a total of eight bodies, out of which five have been identified and the rest are under process," he added.

G-B Home Minister Shams Lone termed the attack on the bus an “open terrorism” and pledged that the attackers would be brought to justice.

He also said that Indian involvement in the attack cannot be ruled out.