In a tragic incident in Baluchistan province, Pakistan, gunmen killed nine people after abducting them from a bus on a highway. The attackers had earlier targeted another vehicle, killing two people and injuring six.
The abduction occurred on Friday when armed men set up a blockade on the highway, stopped the bus, and took nine passengers from the eastern Punjab province with them into the mountains. The bodies of the victims were later found under a bridge, a few miles from the highway.
Passenger Sajjad Ahmed, who was on the bus, recounted the harrowing experience of witnessing the abduction and subsequent gunfire. The driver managed to reach the nearest police station after the incident.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, offering his condolences to the families of the victims and vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice. The motive behind the attacks remains unclear, with no ransom demand reported.
While Baluchistan has been plagued by separatist insurgency, abductions are rare in the region, where militants typically target security forces and infrastructure. Despite government claims of quelling the insurgency, violence continues to pose a threat in the province.
Authorities are conducting a search for the gunmen responsible for the heinous acts, as the nation mourns the loss of innocent lives in this senseless violence.
