Gunmen Kill 23 Punjabis in Balochistan Attack: Passengers Targeted and Vehicles Set Ablaze

Balochistan August 26 2024 :  At least 23 people from Punjab province were killed in a violent attack in Balochistan’s Musakhel district on Monday. The victims, traveling on trucks and buses, were targeted by armed gunmen who blocked an inter-provincial highway, forcibly disembarked the passengers, and executed them after inspecting their identities. The attackers also set fire to ten vehicles, according to reports from Dawn newspaper.

The attack, described as a “terrorist act” by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, has sparked widespread condemnation. Bugti expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and pledged that the provincial government would take all necessary measures to bring the perpetrators and their associates to justice. Assistant Commissioner Najeeb Kakar confirmed the identities of the victims as being from Punjab and stated that emergency services were actively engaged in transporting the deceased to the hospital. Federal Minister Attaullah Tarar also condemned the brutal assault, calling it an attack on innocent passengers and vowing that those responsible would face severe consequences. His statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, emphasized that the terrorists and their facilitators would be held accountable.

The Musakhel incident mirrors a previous attack from April, when gunmen similarly targeted passengers from Punjab near Noshki, removing them from a bus and shooting them after verifying their identities. This follows another attack from October last year, when six laborers from Punjab were killed in Turbat, Kech district. These previous incidents also indicated a possible ethnic motive, as the victims were identified as being from various southern Punjab areas. This latest violence underscores ongoing security challenges in the region and raises concerns about targeted attacks based on ethnicity and provincial origin. The provincial and federal authorities are under pressure to enhance security measures and address the rising threat of terrorism in Balochistan.