Quetta: In a grim attack in Balochistan’s Musakhel district, 23 people from Punjab have been killed by armed men who offloaded passengers from trucks and buses before shooting them, Dawn reported, citing an official. This assault occurred just hours after the banned Baloch Liberation Army separatist group had issued a warning to avoid highways, though no group has claimed responsibility yet.
Attack Details: Passengers Identified and Shot
According to Assistant Commissioner Musakhail Najeeb Kakar, the attackers blocked the inter-provincial highway in the Rarasham district of Musakhel and forcibly removed passengers from their vehicles. The majority of the deceased were identified as Punjabis. The attackers also torched ten vehicles, Kakar added.
Government Response and Investigation
President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack as “barbaric” and pledged that those responsible would face justice. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed local authorities to fully support the affected families and ensure medical assistance for the injured. He also demanded an immediate investigation by law enforcement agencies.
“The terrorists behind this attack will face severe consequences,” Sharif asserted, underscoring that terrorism in any form will not be tolerated in Pakistan.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti strongly condemned the attack and expressed his deepest condolences to the victims’ families.
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Previous Incidents
This attack follows a similar incident from April, when gunmen targeted passengers from Punjab near Noshki, killing nine after verifying their ID cards. In October of the previous year, six laborers from Punjab were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Turbat, Balochistan’s Kech district. These targeted killings were indicative of ethnic-based selection.
A comparable attack occurred in 2015, when gunmen targeted a labor camp near Turbat, resulting in the deaths of 20 construction workers from Sindh and Punjab, with three others injured.
Context of Terrorism in Balochistan
The region of Balochistan has experienced a persistent low-level insurgency, with separatists frequently targeting individuals from Punjab as part of their campaign to drive them out of the province. The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army and other separatist groups, along with Islamic militants, are often blamed for such attacks.
