GILGIT, Dec 18: An activist of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat was killed in an ambush on Tuesday morning.

Local police chief Ali Zia told Dawn that Ayaz was killed on Hospital Road after gunmen ambushed him.

He said Ayaz’s brother Ghayas was also shot dead 12 years ago.

Mr Zia said also in the day, schoolboy Shahrukh, 11, died after armed men ambushed the van he was riding near Basin Khari He said another man suffered injuries in the ambush.

The police chief said the first year student, who was critically injured the other day, died at a local hospital.

He said two commuters were injured after gunshots were fired at their Danyore-bound van near AGPR office in Konodas area.

Mr Zia said security had been tightened in Gilgit, while the city’s entry and exit points had been sealed.

He said personnel of Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts and Punjab Rangers had been called for helping police control the situation.

After the violence, traders closed shops and went away.

Meanwhile, traffic between Gilgit and the rest of the country remained suspended for hours in the day.

Also, the buses bound for the tense Gilgit were stopped in Kohistan district.

Scores of the people demonstrated in Chilas, headquarters of Diamer district, against Gilgit killings.

Shouting slogans against the Gilgit-Baltistan government over the growing lawlessness and for the arrest of killers, they blocked Karakoram Highway suspending traffic.

Also, vehicles were pelted with stones. However, no damage to human life was reported.