At least 23 people were killed in an attack on vehicles in southwestern Pakistan, officials said on Monday. The assault took place on a highway in Balochistan province, where armed men stopped multiple vehicles, including buses and goods trucks, and opened fire on passengers after checking their identity cards.
The attackers also set fire to at least 10 vehicles, including trucks carrying coal. “The attackers killed the drivers before torching the vehicles,” stated Hameed Zahir, the deputy commissioner of the area.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the death toll, which was initially reported as 22 by local police. The Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging that their fighters had targeted military personnel disguised in civilian clothes. However, Pakistan’s interior ministry countered that the victims were innocent civilians.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province, has seen an increase in violence in recent years, particularly from Baloch separatists who argue that the region’s resources are being exploited without benefiting the local population. The attack bears resemblance to an incident in April when 11 Punjabi laborers were killed after being abducted from a bus in Naushki city, Balochistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and expressed “deep grief” in a statement from his office, pledging that security forces would bring the perpetrators to justice.
