In a tragic series of events in Balochistan’s Musakhel, armed assailants forcibly removed 23 individuals from vehicles and killed them.
SSP Musakhel Ayub Achakzai reported that gunmen pulled the victims from trucks and passenger buses and shot them at an impromptu checkpoint on an interprovincial highway. Additionally, the attackers set fire to ten vehicles during the assault.
Police and Levies personnel promptly responded to the incident, transporting the bodies to a hospital and launching a thorough investigation into the violent attack. Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind highlighted the security challenges in the region, noting Musa Khel’s proximity to Dera Ghazi Khan and the general lack of heavy security on such remote roads, which terrorists exploited under the cover of darkness.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti condemned the terrorist act near Musa Khel and extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.
In a separate but equally tragic incident, a bus carrying pilgrims returning from Iran veered off the Makran Coastal Highway near Bzi Top, falling into a ravine and resulting in 11 deaths and over 30 injuries. The accident, caused by brake failure exacerbated by speeding, prompted immediate rescue operations involving Levies and other agencies. The injured and deceased were quickly transferred to nearby medical facilities. The bus, originating from Iran, carried pilgrims primarily from Lahore and Gujranwala in Punjab.
