Pakistan: At least 23 persons were killed in what seemed to be a tragedy filled with brutality in Musakhel district of Balochistan early Monday morning when armed men “forcibly removed” the passengers from trucks, buses, and shot them after verification of their identity. They carried out their evil intentions by blocking off the inter-provincial highway in the Rarasham area.
Vehicles Torched Alongside Mass Killings
The assistant commissioner of Musakhail confirmed the horrible facts and said the killed people belonged to Punjab. Along with the killings, they torched around ten vehicles, which increased the intensity and fear of those who launched the attack. Responding to information of the incident, the police and Levies officials rushed to the spot and proceeded to bring the bodies to a hospital.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti expressed deep sorrow and said he was outraged by the massacre, terming the mass killings an act of terrorism. Summarizing it, he said, “Great condolence to the victims’ families and said the government would not sit relaxed unless the terrorists are followed in a pursuance that is to set an example.” “An exemplary end awaits the terrorists and their facilitators,” the chief minister said while laying emphasis on the mantra of the government’s writ of justice.
Attaullah Tarar Condemns Terrorist Brutality
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar was also quick to comment and condemned the brutality of the terrorists that targeted innocent passengers. According to him, the government is hell-bent on bringing the terrorists to justice.
The attack in Musakhel is part of a disturbing pattern of ethnic violence in Balochistan. This includes a similar attack four months ago in Noshki, in which nine passengers belonging to Punjab were deboarded from a bus and ruthlessly executed. In October of the previous year, six more laborers from Punjab were targeted and killed in a similar fashion in Turbat, Balochistan. Surely, these repeated incidents point towards a campaign against a specific ethnic group.
The government has promised not to leave any stone unturned while investigations are expedited into the latest atrocity in order to bring the culprits to book, opening gates for preventing such heinous acts from recurring.