ISLAMABAD: Nine passengers from Punjab were brutally shot dead after being abducted by terrorists affiliated with the group Fitna-ul-Hindustan in Balochistan’s Loralai district, officials confirmed on Thursday.
According to Loralai Commissioner Saadat Hussain, the incident occurred near the Dakai intersection along the National Highway linking Loralai and Musakhel. The victims had disembarked from a passenger bus when they were intercepted by armed assailants.
“The attackers separated the passengers based on their identity and took them away. Their bodies have now been recovered,” the commissioner said while speaking to reporters.
Among the victims were two brothers, Usman Toor and Jabir Toor, residents of Dunyapur. They had been living in Quetta for work and were en route to attend their father’s funeral.
Earlier reports indicated that terrorists linked to Fitna-ul-Hindustan carried out coordinated attacks on passenger buses in Kalat, Mastung, and Loralai, abducting several travellers.
A spokesperson for the Balochistan government confirmed that search operations had been launched in the affected areas to recover those abducted. The attacks reportedly took place on Wednesday.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind stated that security forces responded swiftly and decisively to the attacks across all three locations. He assured the public that security forces remain fully alert and are conducting intensive operations to eliminate the threat, with the protection of civilians remaining the top priority.
