ISLAMABAD - Five persons were killed while 18 others were injured when a retaining wall collapsed on people during a function held to celebrate the Independence Day at Jutial in Gilgit late Tuesday night.

The injured were shifted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Gilgit.

Commander Force Command Northern Areas Maj General Ehsan Mehmood Khan, Gilgit Baltistan Assembly Deputy Speaker Jafarullah Khan along with other officials visited the CMH and inquired after the injured. They also supervised the relief and rescue operations, Radio Pakistan reported.

The civil and military officials have expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of those who died in the attack and have prayed for the early recovery of the injured.