At least 23 people were killed in Musakhel district, Balochistan, early Monday morning when armed men forcibly removed passengers from trucks and buses, then opened fire on them after verifying their identities, an official reported.
Assistant Commissioner Musakhail Najeeb Kakar stated that the assailants blocked the inter-provincial highway in the Rarasham area and offloaded passengers from the vehicles. The victims are reportedly from Punjab. The attackers also set fire to 10 vehicles.
Police and Levies officials have arrived at the scene and are transporting the bodies to a hospital.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the act of terrorism, expressing deep sympathy and condolences to the victims’ families. He vowed that the perpetrators and their accomplices would face justice and affirmed the Balochistan government’s commitment to pursuing the terrorists.
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also condemned the attack, describing the terrorists’ actions as brutal and emphasizing that they would not escape justice.
Punjab government spokesperson Azma Bukhari expressed anger over the incident.
This attack comes nearly four months after a similar incident in April, where nine passengers from Punjab were killed near Noshki. Another targeted attack occurred last October in Turbat, where six laborers from Punjab were fatally shot. In 2015, a similar attack near Turbat resulted in the deaths of 20 construction workers from Sindh and Punjab.
This is a developing story. Initial reports may be subject to change as more information becomes available. We aim to provide accurate updates based on credible sources and authoritative reports.
