Seven passengers were killed during a gun attack on a bus in Barakhan, Balutchistan, after armed men arrested the vehicle on a national road.
Safety sources have confirmed that the attackers installed a blockade on the highway in the Rarkan region and forced passengers to get out of the bus, Express News reported.
The victims, who traveled from Quetta to Faisalabad, were then shot down after verifying their identification cards.
Eyewitness reported that the attackers were armed with Kalashnikov rifles and had between 10 and 12 years. A witness, a burewala resident, said the bus was heading for Quetta to Multan when the attack occurred.
Local authorities have confirmed the murders and said that armed men are still in the region. The provincial administration has arrested passenger vehicles at several points, including Rakhni Bewatta and Mekhtar, as a precaution.
Local sources indicate that the passengers killed were removed from the vehicle after the verification of their identification cards.
Barakhan’s deputy commissioner also confirmed the deaths, declaring that seven bus passengers had been withdrawn and killed.
The chief minister of Balutchistan, Mir Sarfraz Bugti, firmly condemned the brutal murder of seven innocent passengers not armed by terrorists in the district of Barakhan. He said the terrorists are targeting innocent and defenseless people and that the damaged attack by the enemies of peace is intolerable and will be encountered with a strong answer.
He also declared that the persons involved in the incident will be brought to justice and that the terrorists responsible for killing the Pakistanis will be confronted with the consequences.
Balutchistan government spokesperson said the security forces, including Frontier Corps (FC) and statements, have reached the site and actively pursue the terrorists.
On Wednesday, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif firmly condemned the murder of seven bus passengers in the city of Barkhan in Balutchistan.
In their statements issued separately, the President and the Prime Minister prayed for peace for souls and the force missing so that the bereaved families suffer the loss.
“The murder of the innocents is a loose and odious act. Terrorists are the enemies of peace and humanity. They want to lead to peace in Balutchistan, “said the president and assured that the authors would be brought back to the task.
Prime Minister Shehbaz ordered the authorities concerned to translate the perpetrators into justice and said that killers of innocent citizens should pay a high price for their act.
“The sacrifices of innocent citizens will not go to vain. The government and the security forces actively strive to completely eliminate terrorism from the country, “said the Prime Minister.
