Nine bus passengers abducted and killed in Balochistan attack

• Forces respond swiftly to all three attacks.
• Quetta, Kalat among those attacked.
• Operation launched to rescue those abducted.

QUETTA: At least nine passengers were abducted and shot dead after gunmen intercepted a bus travelling from Quetta to Lahore, officials in Balochistan confirmed on Friday.

The incident took place near Zhob, a town in northern Balochistan, where armed assailants stopped the bus, removed passengers, and selectively identified and executed nine individuals.

Assistant Commissioner Zhob, Naveed Alam, said the attackers opened fire on the abducted passengers after taking them away from the vehicles.

The bodies of the deceased have been shifted to the Rekhni hospital in the Barkhan district of Balochistan, he said.

A spokesperson for the provincial government strongly condemned the attack, calling it an act of terrorism.

“The terrorists pulled passengers off the bus, identified them, and then mercilessly killed nine innocent Pakistanis,” the spokesperson, Shahid Rind, stated.

The murder of defenceless civilians is a glaring example of the barbarity of the Fitna al-Hindustan, said the official.

Security forces responded swiftly to the reports of the abduction, he said.

The assailants, he said, fled under cover of darkness. However, the operation to track them down continues, with a search underway in the surrounding region.

Meanwhile, DG Khan Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmad has said that five ambulances have been dispatched to Balochistan to transport the bodies of slain passengers back to Punjab.

The slain passengers will be laid to rest in their respective native towns, he said.

PM vows no mercy for terrorists

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday strongly condemned the kidnapping and killing of bus passengers in Sardhaka area of Balochistan, vowing to avenge the blood of innocent people.

“We will deal with terrorists with full force. The blood of innocent people will be avenged,” the prime minister said in a statement issued by the PM Office.

“With resolve, unity, and strength, we will confront the scourge of terrorism and uproot it completely,” he added.

Govt to destroy all terror networks: CM Bugti

Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti strongly condemned the brutal killing of passengers in Sardhaka, calling it “open terrorism” carried out by elements linked to Fitna-e-Hindustan.

Bugti said that the attackers had deliberately targeted innocent civilians based on their Pakistani identity, calling the act “an unforgivable crime.”

He said the terrorists had once again revealed their cowardly and beastly nature, adding that the blood of the innocent would not go in vain.

“Our response will be tough and decisive,” he added, stressing that this was a war against the state.

Bugti vowed to dismantle all terror networks associated with Fitna-e-Hindustan. “We will crush every single terror plan with full force, unwavering resolve, and complete unity,” he said.

Indian proxies behind attack, says govt spox

Talking to Geo News on Friday, Rind said that the attack was not an isolated event — it is a continuation of past incidents where innocent citizens had been deliberately targeted by India’s proxies including Fitna al-Hindustan.

He said that terrorists linked with Fitna al Hindustan launched separate attacks in Mastung, Kalat and Saradagai areas of the province earlier in the day. However, he stressed, all attacks were successfully repelled by security forces in Mastung and Kalat.

The government has put in place a set of SOPs for the security of these passenger buses, he said, adding the overnight travel was prohibited on the N-70 thoroughfare.

However, a bus, following all SOPs, departed at dusk along the N-70 route, he said, adding that it was during this journey that the deadly incident took place despite the fact that the provincial government had recently revamped its security arrangements after revisiting the security plan.

The government is looking into what loopholes in the security arrangements allowed this mishap to take place so that such incidents are prevented from happening again, he noted.

He also confirmed that a general terror threat had already been issued after which security was beefed up in Kalat and Mastung, and passenger trains were barred from travel a day earlier. However, there was no threat about the area where the incident occurred, he added. 

Earlier in the day, the provincial government's spokesperson confirmed that terrorists affiliated with Fitna al-Hindustan have launched attacks in Quetta, Kalat, Mastung, and Loralai.

According to the spokesperson, the security forces responded immediately and forcefully at all three affected locations. 

He assured the public that the forces remain fully alert to protect the lives, property, and assets of citizens amid the evolving threat.

In a separate incident, reports have emerged of passengers being abducted near Loralai, the spokesperson said.

He said that a search operation has been launched to ensure the safe return of the abducted individuals.

Indian-backed terrorists groups have been active in Balochistan, especially after the defeat in the recent war against Pakistan. The army's top leadership, earlier today, also vowed to take decisive and holistic actions at all levels against the Indian backed and sponsored proxies.

In May, Pakistan saw a slight uptick in militant attacks even as heightened military tensions with neighbouring India failed to trigger a significant escalation in violence from extremist groups.

Data released by the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) indicates a 5% increase in attacks compared to April, though the overall picture suggests militant groups largely remained contained despite the regional geopolitical climate.

According to the PICSS monthly security assessment, May recorded 85 militant attacks, a marginal rise from 81 in April.

These incidents resulted in 113 fatalities, including 52 security forces personnel, 46 civilians, 11 militants, and four members of peace committees. The month also saw 182 individuals injured, comprising 130 civilians, 47 security personnel, four militants, and one peace committee member.

While the overall number of attacks saw only a modest increase, a deeper dive into the figures reveals some concerning trends.

Balochistan and KP remained the most affected provinces, accounting for 82 of the 85 attacks nationwide.

Balochistan experienced the highest level of violence, with 35 militant attacks that left 51 people dead-including 30 civilians, 18 security personnel, and three militants-and 100 injured (94 civilians, five security personnel, one militant).