GILGIT: Four tourists, going to Basho valley of Skardu, a tourist resort, were killed and seven injured when their jeep plunged into ravine in Skardu on Wednesday.

The jeep driver lost control over the jeep while negotiating a sharp turn an the vehicle fell in a deep ravine near Sultanabad village.

There were eleven people in the jeep including a local driver and co-driver, while nine belong to Punjab.

Rescue 1122, local volunteers shifted the injured and dead bodies to regional headquarters Skardu.

The conditions of injured are said to be critical.

Police said the cause of the incident was break failure of the jeep.

According to Faizullah Faraq, Spokesperson to CM, GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan took notice of the incident and expressed regret over the heartbreaking accident.

The chief minister directed the health secretary and administrative authorities to take better care of the injured.

The chief minister also expressed solidarity with the families of the victims and directed the authorities to dispatch the bodies to their respective places.

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, taking notice of the increasing number of tourists and passenger vehicles in Gilgit-Baltistan and the increase in traffic accidents in different areas, has directed the GB Secretary Excise and Taxation to strictly follow the SOPs for traffic management.

He directed Implementation should be ensured so that traffic accidents can be controlled.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2024