QUETTA: At least 23 passengers were killed after being alighted from passenger buses and trucks in Rarasham area of Musakhel, Balochistan, police said. Geo news on Mondays.
Providing details of the incident, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ayub Achakzai said armed men blocked the inter-provincial highway and alighted passengers from the vehicles.
Police and firefighters arrived at the scene and the bodies were taken to hospital, he added.
Speaking during Geo news Speaking to Geo Pakistan, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said the militants had attacked two or three locations where they faced retaliation and resistance from security forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs).
However, he added, the terrorists took advantage of the darkness to carry out the Musakhel attack, where they took passengers off the buses and shot them after identifying them.
Underlining the provincial government's resolve to address the issue of law and order, Rind said Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had called a meeting where “important decisions” would be taken.
“To find a way out of this situation, any political government or security force must adopt a comprehensive approach and support from all schools of thought is needed,” he said.
The Musakhel incident comes as Balochistan remains mired in security-related issues.
Pakistan, on the other hand, has witnessed a rise in terror-related incidents since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Most of the terrorist activities are reported in the border provinces with the neighbouring country – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
According to a report by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), during the second quarter of this year, the country recorded 380 deaths and 220 injuries related to violence between civilians, security personnel and criminals.
The report said these casualties were the result of up to 240 incidents related to terrorist attacks and counter-terrorist operations.
In view of the security situation, the federal cabinet in June this year approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, a revitalized national anti-terror campaign following the recommendations of the Central Higher Committee under the National Action Plan to eradicate terrorism.
President and Prime Minister vow retaliation
Condemning the heinous incident, President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the loss of precious human lives and called the perpetrators “enemies of the nation.”
The president also said that the terrorists responsible for the brutal killings must be brought to justice.
Expressing anger and grief over the Musakhel killings, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the local administration to cooperate with the bereaved families and provide immediate medical assistance to the injured.
The prime minister also ordered security forces to investigate the brutal killings.
“The terrorists responsible for the Musakhel incident will be punished. The war against terrorists will continue until the complete elimination of terrorism from the country,” Prime Minister Shehbaz said.
There will be more news later…
