QUETTA/ISLAMABAD: In the early hours of Saturday, tragedy struck near Noshki, Balochistan, as gunmen attacked a bus travelling along the Quetta-Taftan Highway N-40, claiming the lives of nine individuals from Punjab.
The assailants, numbering between 10 to 12, intercepted the bus near Sultan Charhai, forcibly removing nine passengers and subsequently executing them. Deputy Commissioner Habibullah Musakhel reported that the gunmen inspected the passengers’ identification before abducting and ultimately killing them.
The bodies of the victims, hailing from Wazirabad, Mandi Bahauddin, and Gujranwala, were discovered under a nearby bridge approximately ninety minutes later.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident on the same highway, another vehicle attempting to breach the gunmen’s blockade was met with gunfire, resulting in one fatality and four injuries. Both attacks occurred at the same location.
The deceased were transported to Quetta by Noshki Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Zafar Mengal. No group has yet claimed responsibility for these heinous acts.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attacks, promising swift justice for the perpetrators and their collaborators, while expressing solidarity with the bereaved families.
Similarly, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti denounced the violence, vowing a resolute response against terrorism.
