Two Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts were martyred and one was injured in a Diamer attack on a checkpoint on Friday, August 29, 2025. Two Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Scouts personnel were martyred and one was injured when unidentified gunmen attacked their checkpoint on the Karakoram Highway in Diamer district, Gilgit-Baltistan, at 12:15 AM on Friday, August 29, 2025, prompting a swift security response.
Details of the Diamer Attack
The attack targeted a GB Scouts checkpoint near Chilas, Diamer district, on the Karakoram Highway. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Diamer Abdul Hameed reported that unknown assailants fired from an elevated hilltop, injuring three personnel, two of whom—Naib Subedar Khush Dad from Nagar and Havaldar Ashraf from Shigar—succumbed to their injuries. The third, Lance Naik Sajid Ali, sustained abdominal wounds but is stable at the Regional Headquarters Hospital in Chilas, where an emergency was declared.
According to a GB government statement on X, nine personnel were at the checkpoint during the attack. Security forces recovered two grenades, 10 spent shells, and noted 17 bullet holes on the checkpoint walls, indicating the intensity of the assault. The attackers fled the scene, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Security Response and Official Statements
Police and Elite Force units arrived within 20 minutes, sealing the area and launching raids to apprehend the culprits. GB Interior Minister Shamsul Haq Lone condemned the attack, describing it as a cowardly attempt to disrupt peace in the region. “The GB government will pursue the terrorists and bring them to justice,” he stated, noting the absence of prior intelligence about the attack.
GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan ordered immediate action to track the perpetrators, with government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq calling the attack “an act of extreme cowardice.” Additional police and Elite Force personnel have been deployed to strengthen the checkpoint and pursue the attackers.
Background: Recurring Violence in Diamer
The Karakoram Highway, a vital artery for Pakistan-China trade under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has faced repeated attacks. The GB Scouts checkpoint was established on Tuesday, December 2, 2023, following a deadly attack on an Islamabad-bound bus in the same area, which killed 9 and injured 21. On Sunday, July 21, 2025, a Federal Constabulary soldier was martyred at a nearby forest checkpoint, highlighting ongoing security threats in Diamer.
A 2016 operation in Diamer’s Tarel Valley saw security forces kill three terrorists involved in attacks on civilians and infrastructure, with two GB Scouts personnel also martyred. The region’s history of violence, including the 2013 Nanga Parbat massacre, where 11 climbers were killed, underscores its vulnerability to terrorism.
Regional Implications of the Attack
The terrorist attack in Gilgit-Baltistan threatens the stability of a region critical to CPEC projects, including the Karakoram Highway, which connects Pakistan to China. Such incidents could disrupt trade and tourism, impacting local economies reliant on cross-border commerce. The GB Scouts, a federal paramilitary force formed in 2003, play a key role in securing the region, and attacks on them challenge Pakistan’s efforts to maintain peace in this geopolitically sensitive area.
The lack of claimed responsibility complicates efforts to address the root causes, with no group identified as of Friday, August 29, 2025, at 4:10 PM PKT.
Addressing GB Scouts Personnel Martyred in Diamer Attack
The GB government and security forces are intensifying efforts to apprehend those responsible for the GB Scouts personnel martyred in the Diamer attack. Enhanced security measures and ongoing raids aim to prevent further violence, but the incident highlights the need for sustained counter-terrorism strategies to protect critical infrastructure and ensure regional stability.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, August 29th, 2025
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