Gunmen in Balochistan force 9 passengers off bus, shoot them
The same attackers later fired at a car belonging to a provincial parliamentarian. While the lawmaker was not in the vehicle, two passengers were killed and two others injured when the car careened into a ditch
GUNMEN in Pakistan's troubled province Balochistan on Friday night abducted nine men from a bus and later killed all of them, Reuters news agency reported.
Police officer Abdullah Mengal told Reuters that several gunmen intercepted the Iran-bound bus in Noshki district in Balochistan and took nine men with them after determining they were from the eastern province of Punjab.
Deputy Commissioner Habibullah Musakhel told Dawn News that 10-12 gunmen blockaded the Quetta-Taftan Highway N-40 near Noshki and abducted nine passengers from a bus.
The same attackers later fired at a car belonging to a provincial parliamentarian. While the lawmaker was not in the vehicle, two passengers were killed and two others injured when the car careened into a ditch, AFP reported.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described Friday night's attack as an "incident of terrorism" in a statement and said "facilitators will be punished".
Balochistan’s Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said that those involved in the killing the innocent people would not be forgiven and hunted down soon.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the incident, saying that the government stands with the families of the deceased at this time.
"There is no room for such a tragic incident...," he added.
No one has claimed responsibility for the brutal attack but separatist ethnic Baloch militant groups in the mineral-rich region have been fighting for decades against the Pakistan government, arguing they are treated unfairly.
In similar killings in the region, ethnic Baloch insurgents (Balochistan Liberation Army) had claimed responsibility.
Militants have in the past targeted ethnic Punjabis and Sindhis from elsewhere in Pakistan, as well as foreign energy firms they believe are exploiting the region without sharing its riches.
They carried out three major terror strikes in the province in recent weeks in Mach town, Gwadar port, and a naval base in Turbat in which security forces killed some 17 militants.
The Gwadar sea port is being developed by neighbouring China. The insurgents have also targeted Chinese nationals and their interests.
