Pakistan: 23 People Killed In Balochistan After Being Forced Out Of Cars

At least 23 people were killed in southwest Pakistan when gunmen forced them out of their vehicles and shot them, as reported by PTI.

The tragic incident occurred in the Musakhail district of Balochistan province, where militants stopped several buses, trucks, and vans, targeting individuals based on their ethnicity.

Najibullah Kakar, a senior official in Musakhail, told AFP, "At least 22 people were killed and five injured when militants stopped several buses, trucks, and vans on a highway connecting Punjab with Balochistan." He added, "Vehicles traveling to and from Punjab were inspected, and individuals from Punjab were identified and shot."

The militants reportedly blocked the inter-provincial highway in the Rarasham district of Musakhail, where they offloaded passengers and set 10 vehicles on fire, according to Assistant Commissioner Musakhail Najeeb Kakar, as cited by Dawn.

#BREAKING: In Balochistan’s Musakhel district, 23 people from Pak Punjab were offloaded from trucks and buses, then shot dead by unidentified gunmen after identity checks. Balochistan appears to be out of the Pakistan Army & Frontier Corps control.#Pakistan #BreakingNews… pic.twitter.com/4WwW0zsk5W

— Mr Professor (@HeistGenius) August 26, 2024

The bodies have been moved to a hospital.

Hameed Zehri, another senior district official, confirmed the death toll to AFP and suggested that the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) might be responsible for the attack, noting that the BLA is the most active militant separatist group in the region.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the attack, offering condolences to the victims' families and vowed that the Balochistan government would "pursue the terrorists and they will not be able to escape an exemplary end," as reported by Dawn.