Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik was directed on Monday to leave for Gilgit-Baltistan region and help the local administration control the situation arising from killing of 18 people, SAMAA reports.

Gunmen on Tuesday forced people going from Rawalpindi to Gilgit to disembark from buses in Kohistan’s Harban area and gunned down 18 of them after checking their names on their ID cards.

The massacre invoked protests all over the country, calling for PM and President’s resignation over their government’s failure to protect people from militants.

The cabinet, met with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in chair, condemning the tragic incident, directed the federal minister to immediately leave to GB and control the situation.

Thousands of people came on roads in GB city on Wednesday, rallying against the loss of 18 lives.

Prayers were offers by the federal ministers in the meeting for deceased, with PM Gilani assured full support for GB people. He vowed to bring the culprits to book.

Malik on the occasion briefed the cabinet over investigations into the incident as a committee has been formed in this regard. SAMAA