AMN / WEB DESK
At least 23 people were killed in Balochistan’s Musakhel district, about 317 km from Quetta, as gunmen shot at trucks and bus passengers after checking their identities.
According to Assistant Commissioner Musakhail Najeeb Kakar, armed men blocked the interprovincial highway in Musakhel and offloaded passengers from trucks and buses and fired at them after checking their identities.
The deceased were identified as belonging to Pakistan’s Punjab province.
Media reports said the armed men also set fire to 10 vehicles. Police officials have reached the spot.
Underscoring the provincial government’s resolve to tackle the law and order situation, Rind said that Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had called a meeting where “important decisions” would be made.
“To find a way out of this situation, a holistic approach is required from the political government and security forces, with support from all schools of thought,” he said.
The Musakhel incident highlights the ongoing security challenges Balochistan faces.
Pakistan has witnessed a spike in terrorism-related incidents since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Most terror activities are reported in provinces bordering the neighbouring country — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) report, during the second quarter of the current year, the country witnessed 380 violence-linked fatalities and 220 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws.