Karachi: In Pakistan’s Balochistan province, a group of armed militants shot dead nine passengers after identifying them through ID cards. The incident occurred on Thursday evening, targeting a bus traveling from Quetta to the Loralai district in Punjab province.
On Friday, militants intercepted the bus, checked the identity documents of passengers, and singled out nine individuals identified as Punjabis. The victims were then forcibly taken to a nearby mountainous area and shot dead.
Ashfaq Chaudhary, an administrator from Dera Ghazi Khan district in Punjab, confirmed that the attack specifically targeted Punjabis. Authorities later recovered the bullet-ridden bodies from the area.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. However, officials suspect the involvement of Baloch separatist militants, as similar incidents have occurred in the past targeting Punjabi settlers in the region.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) — one of the most active insurgent groups in Balochistan — is believed to be behind such attacks. The group has long opposed the Pakistani government’s exploitation of the province’s rich natural resources, claiming that Balochistan is being plundered for the benefit of Punjab. Balochistan borders both Afghanistan and Iran and is rich in minerals and other natural wealth.
