GILGIT: At least three policemen were killed when unidentified men opened fire on them during an operation conducted against poppy cultivation in Pakistan's northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region, officials said on Monday.
Illegal poppy cultivation in Pakistan’s north has persisted as a complex challenge, driven by economic hardship, limited agricultural alternatives and presence of trafficking networks.
The operation was conducted in Thore valley of GB's Diamer district to destroy illegal poppy fields, according to GB government spokesperson Shabbir Mir.
Around five to six suspects used automatic weapons to target the police team, when they were busy destroying the crop.
"As a result of the attack, three police jawans have embraced martyrdom, while multiple others have sustained injuries," Mir told Arab News.
Shaukat Riaz, a rescue official in Diamer, said they shifted the bodies and four injured persons to the Regional Headquarters Hospital (RHQ).
"All injured persons are out of danger," Riaz told Arab News.
Rugged terrain often makes it difficult for authorities to access remote areas, allowing small-scale farmers to grow poppy as a high-value cash crop compared to traditional produce.
Mir said additional police personnel have reached the site of the attack and were conducting a search for the assailants, which would be followed by an investigation.
