BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhuanet) -- The bodies of nine foreign tourists shot dead in a mountaineering base camp have arrived in Islamabad. They were killed along with a Pakistani guide while visiting one of the world’s highest mountains in a remote area of northern Pakistan. Pakistani officials say they are investigating the incident and extending all possible help to a survivor.
At least a dozen militants wearing police uniforms gunned down 9 tourists and a Pakistani guide before dawn on Sunday. Two Chinese nationals, a Chinese-American, five Ukrainians and one Russian were among the dead.
"I have the latest situation (report) on this incident. Of the nine foreign casualties, six are Ukrainian, three are Chinese, and someone mistakenly declared a Russian national to be Ukrainian. I am providing the latest information. There has been some change in information because it is a remote area," said Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Pakistani Interior Minister.
One Chinese tourist was also wounded in the attack and was rescued.
The gunmen were said to be wearing uniforms used by the Gilgit Scouts, a paramilitary police force that patrols the area. They abducted two local guides to find their way to the remote base camp. One of the guides was killed in the shooting, and the other has been detained and is being questioned.
The local government was quick to respond. "Police and paramilitary have cordoned the area and we have sent DIG (Deputy Inspector General) Ali Sher to Diamer with this special task. Army is helping us in this task,” said Syed Mehdi Shah, Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Province.
The attack took place at the base camp of Nanga Parbat, the ninth highest mountain in the world at 8,126 meters. Nanga Parbat is notoriously difficult to climb and is known as the "killer mountain" because of numerous mountaineering deaths in the past.
Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan claimed responsibility for the attack, saying their Jundul Hafsa group carried out the shooting as retaliation for the death of the Taliban’s deputy leader, Waliur Rehman. Rehman was killed in a U.S. drone attack on the 29th of May.
The shooting is one of the worst attacks on foreigners in Pakistan in recent years and is likely to damage the country’s already struggling tourism industry. Pakistan’s mountainous north is one of the main attractions in the country beset with insurgency and other political instability.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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