JUST IN – Massacre In Pakistan As Militants Target and Execute Passengers By Ethnicity

A deadly assault on two passenger buses in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province resulted in a targeted killing of several civilians, authorities reported on Friday.

The buses were en route from Quetta, the provincial capital, to Punjab when the attack took place in the Sur-Dakai area, straddling the Zhob and Loralai districts near the N-70 highway.

The attackers blocked the highway and intercepted the vehicles, forcing their way onboard.

According to survivors and local officials, the gunmen systematically checked passengers’ identification documents before singling out individuals with Punjab addresses.

The selected passengers were then forced off the buses, and gunfire was later heard.

“They dragged out 10 passengers, seven from one coach and three from the other, and took them away.

“I don’t know what they did to them, but I heard gunfire as we were leaving,” one survivor told Dawn, a prominent Pakistani newspaper.

The bodies of the abducted passengers were later discovered in the nearby mountainous area, riddled with bullet wounds, government official Naveed Alam confirmed to the media.

The victims were believed to be of Punjabi ethnicity, reinforcing suspicions that the attack was ethnically motivated.

Initial reports suggested that nine individuals were abducted and taken away by the assailants.

Law enforcement sources and local administrators believe the perpetrators deliberately targeted people from Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province.

Ashfaq Chaudhry, an administrative officer in Punjab’s Dera Ghazi Khan district, said the victims appeared to have been selected solely based on their ethnic identity.

“It seems the attackers aimed to target Punjabis specifically,” Chaudhry said.

Although no group has formally claimed responsibility for the killings, officials suspect the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant organization active in the region.

The BLA has a long-standing history of violent activity, often focusing on symbols of federal authority or civilians from outside the province.

They include particularly Punjabis, whom they view as representatives of the central government.

President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a “brutal killing of passengers” and attributing it to the BLA.

He stated that the attackers were attempting to “spread chaos and instability in Pakistan,” adding that the state would not allow terrorism to derail national unity and security.

The mineral-rich province of Balochistan borders both Afghanistan and Iran and has seen decades of insurgency fueled by demands for greater autonomy and resource control.

The BLA, the most powerful among several armed Baloch nationalist groups, has frequently launched attacks on military installations, infrastructure projects, and civilians.

These include particularly those from Punjab who migrate to the region for work or investment opportunities.

In February this year, a similarly orchestrated attack by unidentified gunmen left seven Punjabi passengers dead, underscoring a troubling pattern of targeted ethnic violence in the region.

Friday’s killings have sparked fresh concerns about deteriorating security in Balochistan.

They have also projected the challenges facing both provincial and federal authorities in protecting civilians traveling through or working in the area.

Analysts warn that continued attacks of this nature risk deepening ethnic divisions and eroding trust in government institutions.

Local authorities have launched an operation to track down the assailants, while security has been tightened along key highways and vulnerable transit routes.

However, such efforts have often struggled against the backdrop of difficult terrain, local support for insurgent groups, and limited intelligence.

The federal government has vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice and has reiterated its commitment to restoring peace and stability in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, the families of the victims are demanding accountability and urgent measures to prevent further bloodshed.

As the investigation continues, pressure is mounting on both provincial leaders and federal security agencies to apprehend those responsible.

The pressure is also on them also to address the root causes of the ongoing insurgency, including political marginalization, economic disparity, and ethnic grievances.

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