Taliban kill 9 tourists in Pakistan

[Minskaya]

Nine tourists shot at north Pakistan mountain base camp
23 June 2013

Gunmen have killed 10 people, including nine foreign tourists after storming a hotel in far northern Pakistan. Officials say the victims include five Ukrainians, as well as nationals from China and Lithuania. A Nepalese tour guide was also killed. The assault happened at the base camp of Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth highest mountain, in Gilgit-Baltistan. It is the first such attack on tourists in the region. The Pakistani Taliban has told the BBC it was responsible. A spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban said the attack was in retaliation for the killing of its second-in-command, Waliur Rehman, who died in a suspected US drone strike in May. The group said it would continue to target foreigners.

Source: BBC

My condolences to the victims families. Why anyone would elect to vacation in this violent shit-hole is beyond me.

[Bigfella]

Source: BBC

My condolences to the victims families. Why anyone would elect to vacation in this violent shit-hole is beyond me.

For reasons that utterly escape me paying poor people to carry your luggage and watch you struggle to the top of tall mountains is quite the popular 'adventure tourism' activity. Good news for the economies of a few mountain regions, bad news for the tourists who die in their dozens - though usually on mountains rather than hotels. I suspect Pakistan offers a cheaper alternative to Tibet.

[chanjyj]

I own a photography company and know a friend who runs several tours (he brings them there himself as a guide) there catering specifically to cash-rich photographers. One thing I have to say is the area provides great opportunities for photography.

Now that said, if I ever head there I would very much like to carry a firearm along with me.

[Minskaya]

I suspect Pakistan offers a cheaper alternative to Tibet.

The group said it would continue to target foreigners.

The ripple from this and the promise to continue targeting foreigners will no doubt negatively impact Pakistan's 'tourist industry'. Egypt's tourism industry has never recovered from the Luxor massacre of foreigners by Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya in 1997. Compounding the problem, just this month Morsi appointed Adel el-Khayat as governor of Luxor. El-Khayat is a member of the political arm of al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya. Understandably, most Egyptians are astonished at the arrogance and insensitivity of this appointment.

[1980s]

Source: BBC

My condolences to the victims families. Why anyone would elect to vacation in this violent shit-hole is beyond me.

The location of the attack is far removed from Waziristan and other Taliban strongholds, or so we thought. Seems that the Taliban and / or other Pakistani terrorist groups have a far wider reach outside of FATA than Pakistan wants to admit. No doubt, Sharif like his predecessors will also fail to exert Islamabad's so-called "sovereignty" over FATA but will instead appease the Taliban too, and more such mass murders will continue.

And i agree with the poster above, what a "shit-hole".

[Pedicabby]

Source: BBC

Why anyone would elect to vacation in this violent shit-hole is beyond me.

I have been twice. First time was 99. 2nd time was 02. I had a great time. Good food and friendly people and the locals don't try to rip you off all the time like they do in India. If my Africa plan falls through for Jan - Mar. I might go back.

[Parihaka]

For reasons that utterly escape me paying poor people to carry your luggage and watch you struggle to the top of tall mountains is quite the popular 'adventure tourism' activity. Good news for the economies of a few mountain regions, bad news for the tourists who die in their dozens - though usually on mountains rather than hotels. I suspect Pakistan offers a cheaper alternative to Tibet.

Just for the sake of fairness, while I agree with you wholeheartedly about such groups as the everest expeditions and the absurdities and man slaughters that go on there: in fact I've never really understood any mountain climbers whose main ambition is to 'summit'. I prefer being among the mountains rather than on top of them.
However, Nanga Parbat is a far more difficult climb than Everest, well into the death zone the summiteers like to rabbit on about, far more technically difficult and with no option but to traverse several active avalanche zones. These climbers won't have been your average inexperienced tourists that clutter up Tibet.

[lemontree]

The location of the attack is far removed from Waziristan and other Taliban strongholds, or so we thought. Seems that the Taliban and / or other Pakistani terrorist groups have a far wider reach outside of FATA than Pakistan wants to admit. No doubt, Sharif like his predecessors will also fail to exert Islamabad's so-called "sovereignty" over FATA but will instead appease the Taliban too, and more such mass murders will continue.

- Gilgit is traditionaly a restive area and Pak Army has used force to keep the people under control. In 1988 OBL and hsi gang was used to butched people into submission.
- I doubt that TTK carried out the attack on the climbers. The region has irregular militia / possibly Taliban/ possibly LeT that are under command FNCA formation of the Pak Army.
- The location of attack is very close to the LOC with India, and you do not get rouge Talbian aka TTK in this part of POK. The only groups that are present are those that permitted by the Pak Army.

[Agnostic Muslim]

Why anyone would elect to vacation in this violent shit-hole is beyond me.

The region that the attack took place has in fact been relatively violence free, and is very picturesque, with the presence of some of the worlds highest mountains attracting mountaineers from around the world.

[Agnostic Muslim]

The ripple from this and the promise to continue targeting foreigners will no doubt negatively impact Pakistan's 'tourist industry'.

Pakistan does not have much of a 'tourism industry' at the moment to 'negatively impact' - the more concerning aspects of this particular attack are the targets chosen and the location it occurred in.

[Agnostic Muslim]

- Gilgit is traditionaly a restive area and Pak Army has used force to keep the people under control.

What are you basing that claim on?

In 1988 OBL and hsi gang was used to butched people into submission.

Complete BS - this OBL canard is something widely disseminated in the Indian media and by Pakistan military bashers, but there is nothing credible to substantiate it.

- I doubt that TTK carried out the attack on the climbers. The region has irregular militia / possibly Taliban/ possibly LeT that are under command FNCA formation of the Pak Army.

ISLAMABAD: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility on Sunday for the killing of nine foreign tourists and their guide in Gilgit-Balitistan.

Postmortem of the tourists confirmed that their deaths were caused by firing.

The incident took place near a camp base, where the tourists were staying.

TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan called The Express Tribune and said the group’s faction named Junud-e-Hafsa carried out the brutal attack.

He said the killing was revenge against the US drone attacks and killing of TTP chief Waliur Rehman Mehsud.

“This will tell the international community about our feelings and sentiments against the killing of our fighters,” he said.

Government officials said five Ukrainians and a number of Chinese were killed. One Pakistani also died and one Chinese survivor has been recovered.

The climbers were staying at a first camp, around 4,200 feet from Nanga Parbat, one of the highest mountains in the world, in the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan.

TTP claims responsibility for killing tourists in Gilgit-Baltistan – The Express Tribune

[Doktor]

One has to feel with Pakistanis (and I am not sarcastic here). Seems like they have army only for the Indians.

[Agnostic Muslim]

One has to feel with Pakistanis (and I am not sarcastic here). Seems like they have army only for the Indians.

The Army cannot be deployed everywhere - the failure is primarily one in developing the civilian security forces and civilian intelligence and anti-terrorism apparatus to function effectively, which in turn is tied into an ineffective civilian government, and Pakistan just ended five years of essentially no governance under the PPP led coalition. Whether the PMLN can do better remains to be seen.

[Doktor]

I only showed my sentiment.

Talibans and Co. pass the border without problem.
Naval base gets stormed resulting in serious losses.
US Drones can be shot down, but it's a no no...
A lot of people die on a daily base in the NW and 10 years later it is still a status quo (at least to me over here).

a) PA are only serious when they guard border with India
b) They are totally incapable. I still doubt, tho if you look at the outcomes of Indo-Pakistani clashes the results are not shining.

Could have added the police in the mix, but would only be worse.

[Julie]

The region that the attack took place has in fact been relatively violence free, and is very picturesque, with the presence of some of the worlds highest mountains attracting mountaineers from around the world.

Of course, which is why the tourists were there and it is sad that it is no longer safe for tourists to view such a beautiful place. With that said, I fail to see how Pakistan's failure to protect it's tourists in the safest of areas can be a role model to Afghanistan in the peace process. I see nothing but a train wreck with that and a waste of alot of people's time.