At least 23 people were killed in Balochistan’s Musakhail district after armed men offloaded passengers from trucks and buses early Monday morning and shot at them after checking their identities, an official said.
At least 10 security forces soldiers and four personnel of law enforcement agencies were martyred and 21 terrorists were killed in ensuing clearance operations after militants’ attacks in Balochistan’s Musa Khel, Kalat, and Lasbela districts on Sunday night, the military’s media wing said on Monday.
More than 70 people have been killed in four assaults amid several reported incidents of violence in Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan, according to military and police officials Al Jazeera reported.
The country’s military said 14 soldiers and police, as well as 21 militants, were killed in fighting after the largest of the attacks, which targeted vehicles on a major highway in Bela, a town in Lasbela district.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations said that terrorists attempted to conduct numerous heinous activities in Balochistan late Sunday night that continued till the wee hours of Monday.
“On the behest of inimical and hostile forces, these cowardly acts of terrorism were aimed at disrupting the peaceful environment and development of Balochistan by targeting mainly the innocent civilians, especially in Musa Khel, Kalat and Labela districts,” it said.
In the Musa Khel district, terrorists stopped a bus in general area of Rara Sham and “maliciously targeted innocent citizens” working in Balochistan to earn their livelihood. They killed at least 23 people after checking their identities. Militants also attacked Levies and police stations in Mastung, Kalat, Pasni and Suntsar, according to media reports.
Reports of blasts and grenade attacks were also received from Sibi, Panjgur, Mastung, Turbat, Bela, and Quetta.
“Security forces and law enforcement agencies immediately responded and successfully thwarted the evil design of terrorists and sent twenty-one terrorists to hell in ensuing clearance operations, ensuring security and protection of local populace.
However, during the conduct of operations, fourteen brave sons of soil including ten Security Forces soldiers and four personnel of law enforcement agencies, having fought gallantly, made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat,“ it said.
The ISPR statement added that sanitisation operations were being conducted and the “instigators, perpetrators, facilitators and abettors” of such acts, targeting innocent civilians, would be brought to justice.
“Security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan in step with the nation remain determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” it said.
According to Musakhail Assistant Commissioner Najeeb Kakar, armed men blocked the inter-provincial highway in the Rarasham area of the district and offloaded passengers from several buses.
The perpetrators stopped buses, vans, and trucks, one after the other on a highway connecting Punjab with Balochistan, AC Kakar told media .
“The numbers of the militants were between 30 to 40. They stopped 22 vehicles,” he said. “Vehicles travelling to and from Punjab were inspected, and individuals from Punjab were identified and shot.”
Those killed were reportedly from Punjab, the official said.
AC Kakar added that the armed men also set fire to 23 vehicles, including 17 trucks, two passenger vans and four pick-up vehicles.
The police and Levies officials reached the spot and began shifting the bodies to the hospital, Kakar said.
The military’s Inter Services Public Relations said that the terrorists “maliciously targeted innocent citizens, working in Balochistan to earn their livelihood”.
Will bring forward facts after probe: interior minister
Security concerns have heightened after back-to-back incidents of terrorism, including several attacks across Balochistan, which have left 11, including security personnel, dead.
In response, security forces killed 12 terrorists and injured several others.
In a statement issued by his ministry on social media platform X, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi vowed to “bring forward the facts along with evidence after investigations” into the attacks.
“These destructive incidents are a conspiracy to create instability in Pakistan. The enemy wants to create anarchy in the country under a well-thought plan,” Naqvi said.
Vowing to take “every possible step” to restore law and order in Balochistan, the minister asserted: “The terrorists and their enablers would not be able to find a place to hide.”
Naqvi further said he was in contact with the Balochistan government and that effective steps were being taken to “maintain an atmosphere of peace” in the province.
“If someone thinks that by such cowardly acts, they can defeat the nation’s unwavering determination, they are mistaken,” Naqvi said.
He added that the law and order situation in Balochistan was being monitored on a regular basis.
Condemnations
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the terrorist attack, Radio Pakistan reported.
Expressing grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the incident, they prayed for the departed souls and condoled with the bereaved families.
President Zardari said the “brutal killing of innocent people was the killing of the entire humanity” and called for the culprits to be brought to justice.
PM Shehbaz, on the other hand, directed the local administration to fully cooperate with the bereaved families and provide medical aid to the injured. He also directed the law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident immediately.
“The terrorists behind this incident will face severe punishment,” the premier vowed, adding that any form of terrorism is unacceptable in the country.
Both the president and the prime minister expressed Pakistan’s “unwavering commitment” to eradicate the menace of terrorism.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti also strongly condemned the incident.
He expressed heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of those who died in the cowardly act of terrorists, according to a statement issued from his office.
“The terrorists and their facilitators will not be able to escape an exemplary end”, he said, adding that the Balochistan government will pursue the terrorists.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar vehemently denounced the brutality of the terrorists.
“The terrorists showed brutality by targeting innocent passengers near Musakhail,” he was quoted as saying in a statement on X posted by PML-N.
“The terrorists and their facilitators will not be able to escape an exemplary end,” he said.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori termed the incident worrying, saying: “No matter how much this incident is condemned, it is not enough.
“Killing passengers by offloading them from the bus is the worst kind of brutality,” he said in a statement on X.
“The elements involved in this abominable act will reach their end,” he said. “With the support of the people, the security forces will eliminate these elements soon.”