Unidentified gunmen ambushed buses, offloaded passengers, and shot dead at least 23 people from Pakistan’s Punjab province in restive Balochistan province’s Musakhel district on Monday. The attack, which has sparked widespread condemnation, is the latest in a string of targeted killings in the restive region, as per the media reports on Monday.
According to Assistant Commissioner Musakhail Najeeb Kakar, armed men blocked the inter-provincial highway in Rarasham district, forced passengers off buses, and checked their identities before opening fire. The victims, all from Punjab, were brutally killed in the attack. The gunmen also set 10 vehicles ablaze, leaving a trail of destruction and chaos.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has vowed to pursue the terrorists and their facilitators. “The terrorists will not be able to escape an exemplary end,” he said, expressing heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims.
This incident comes just months after a similar attack in April, where nine passengers from Punjab were offloaded from a bus and shot dead near Noshki. In October last year, six laborers from Punjab were also fatally shot in Turbat, highlighting a disturbing pattern of targeted killings based on ethnic background.
The Balochistan government has faced criticism for its handling of the region’s security, with many calling for greater action to protect citizens from such attacks. As the investigation unfolds, one thing is clear – the people of Balochistan and Punjab demand justice and an end to the senseless bloodshed.