Quetta, February 19, 2025: Unidentified gunmen killed at least seven passengers in Balochistan’s Barkhan district late Tuesday night, officials confirmed.
According to Barkhan Assistant Commissioner (AC) Khadim Hussain, the attack occurred on the National Highway in the Rarkan area. Armed assailants stopped a passenger bus, fired warning shots, and then boarded the vehicle to check passengers’ identity cards. They forcibly took seven individuals to a nearby mountain, where gunshots were later heard.
Security forces, including the Levies, arrived at the scene and discovered the bodies of the abducted passengers. The victims, residents of various cities in Punjab, were transported to a nearby hospital in Rakni.
The bus service confirmed the vehicle was traveling from Quetta to Faisalabad with at least 45 passengers on board. A survivor, Zeeshan Mustafa, a resident of Burewala traveling to Multan, reported that the assailants took his brother after checking his ID. He estimated that 10 to 12 gunmen, all armed with Kalashnikovs, were involved.
Authorities have launched a search operation to track down the perpetrators. Following the attack, two-way traffic on the National Highway, a key route connecting Punjab and Balochistan, was suspended.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the killings, calling them a “cowardly and heinous act.” They expressed condolences to the victims’ families and vowed to bring the attackers to justice.
“The terrorists are enemies of peace and humanity. They seek to destabilize Balochistan, but they will be held accountable,” President Zardari stated.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured that security forces were actively working to eliminate terrorism. “The killers of innocent citizens will pay a heavy price,” he declared.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti also denounced the attack, calling it “intolerable” and vowing a strong response. “Terrorists are targeting unarmed civilians, but they will not escape justice,” he said.
Security forces, including the FC and Levies, have intensified their search operation in the area. A Balochistan government spokesperson confirmed that authorities are actively pursuing the perpetrators.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, and police have launched an investigation.
