GILGIT, April 5: More than 200 people who were travelling in the Gilgit-bound buses attacked by thousands of people near Chilas two days ago reached their destinations safe and sound on Thursday.

Most of the passengers were full of praise for the people of Diamer district.

“We are grateful to them for plucking us to safety from a furious mob.”

A few elders from Diamer escorted the 200 passengers to Gilgit. On the other hand, the administration proceeded with caution for recovery of 32 people from Chilas who were taken hostage in Nagir, 70kms south of Gilgit, by an enraged mob in retaliation for the Chilas killing. A civil judge and a district health officer were among the hostages.

“We cannot use force to recover them as the Chilas incident has infuriated the whole community in Nagir valley. We are in touch with religious scholars as well as public representatives to ensure release of the 32 abducted people,” Ishaq Hussain, the new police chief, told Dawn.

“They (hostages) are safe and sound and we are making efforts for their freedom as early as possible” the SP said.

He shrugged off reports about the abduction of the deputy commissioner and a superintendent of police (SP) as rumour mongering.

Police officials in Skardu district said protests had brought about closure of markets and there was little traffic on roads.

However, the region has so far been peaceful, they added.

“A petrol pump was set ablaze by an angry mob but police instantly controlled the situation.”

In Chilas, headquarters of Diamer district, more than 30,000 people turned up at a demonstration in condemnation of the Tuesday attack in Gilgit on a procession of the Ahle Sunnat group.

Police officials said the protesters warned the administration that if the hostages in Nagir valley were not released, they would march towards Gilgit. They also spoke of “dire consequences”, one of the officials added.

Police said Hunza SP Bashir Ahmed had been posted as Diamer SP on Thursday as the former SP, Jamshid Khan, was seriously injured by a mob. .The new SP held negotiations with tribal chieftains of Diamer in an attempt to calm them down, according to a police spokesman..

Some 40 people were detained for curfew violation in Gilgit on Thursday..

CURFEW BRINGS MISERY: The third day of uninterrupted curfew heaped misery on residents of Gilgit city as supply of essential commodities dried up.

Situation in hospitals was pathetic as medicines were unavailable and in Civil Hospital, Kashrote, ensuring food for attendants as well as patients was the biggest headache for the administration.