In a tragic incident in Musakhail, Baluchistan province, 23 passengers were fatally shot by gunmen who identified and took them from buses, vehicles, and trucks. This attack, one of the deadliest in the region, was condemned by President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi as barbaric. The senior police official, Ayub Achakzai, confirmed that the attackers also set fire to at least 10 vehicles before fleeing the scene.
Hours before the attack, the outlawed Baluch Liberation Army separatist group had issued a warning for people to avoid the highways. However, no group immediately claimed responsibility for the killings. The separatists in Baluchistan have a history of targeting individuals from the eastern Punjab region as part of their campaign for independence from the central government in Islamabad.
These violent acts have been attributed to various groups, including the outlawed Baluch Liberation Army and other factions advocating for independence. Additionally, Islamic militants have a presence in the province, adding to the complex security situation in the region.
