Shi'ites massacred in Pakistan bus hijacking

08/16/12: Al Jazeera reports armed men in northern Pakistan have shot and killed at least twenty-five Shi‘ites.  Security officials say the victims were travelling on board three buses in the Naran Valley when the buses were hijacked.  Shi‘ite passengers were forced to step off the vehicles and executed.  The attack took place near Babusar Top, on the border between Mansehra and Gilgit districts on Thursday, and was carried out by at least ten assailants.  “After checking [their] papers, [the attackers] opened fire,” said Khalid Omarzai, the local administration chief in Mansehra.  Shafiq Gul, a police official, said that the gunmen were masked, while Omarzai said that they were wearing military fatigues.  Gilgit is a popular tourist destination for wealthy Pakistanis but has seen increasing sectarian attacks in recent months.