23 passengers from Pak's Punjab shot in Balochistan after ID checks

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 26: Armed men killed at least 23 people from Pakistan's Punjab in Balochistan's Musakhel after blocking an inter-provincial highway in the Rarasham district on Monday, Pakistan-based daily, Dawn reported.

Assistant Commissioner Musakhail Najeeb Kakar told Dawn that those men set 10 vehicles ablaze. The men stopped trucks and buses, evacuated them and killed those people after checking their identities, Dawn reported.

Kakar said that the police and the Levies officials and the police took a recce of the spot, Dawn reported.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti expressed sympathy and condolences to the families of the deceased. He condemned this act of 'terrorism', Dawn stated, quoting his statement issued by his office.

The terrorists and their facilitators will not be able to escape an exemplary end, he said, adding that the Balochistan government will pursue the terrorists, Dawn reported.

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also condemned the incident.

In a post on X, he said, "Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar strongly condemned the brutality of terrorists near Quetta Musa Khel Federal Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar expressed deep sorrow and regret over the death of 23 people. Terrorists showed brutality by targeting innocent passengers near Musa Khel. Attaullah Tarr The terrorists involved in this incident and the facilitators will not be able to escape from the terrible end. Ataullah Tarr The government expresses its heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families and sympathizes with the bereaved families".

This incident came after a similar act targeted people from Punjab in April this year. Nine passengers were killed in the same way after armed men offloaded them from a bus after checking their IDs near Noshki, Dawn stated.

In another incident, unidentified armed men shot six labourers who belonged to Punjab in Turbat in Balochistan's Kech district. Police said these were targeted killings and these people were killed because of their ethnic background, Dawn reported.