Quetta: At least seven passengers were killed by unidentified militants on the national highway N-50 in the Barkhan area of Balochistan on Wednesday, according to Assistant Commissioner (AC) Barkhan, Khadim Hussain.
The incident occurred when armed assailants stopped a passenger van travelling from Quetta to Faisalabad. The militants checked the passengers’ identity cards before offloading and shooting them. AC Barkhan confirmed that all seven victims were from different cities in Punjab.
Following the attack, Levies and Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel cordoned off the area, and the victims’ bodies were shifted to Rukni Hospital. A survivor, Zeeshan, recounted that his brother, Adnan, was taken off the bus and killed after the militants checked his identity card. Zeeshan stated that 10 to 12 armed men stopped the bus and shot seven passengers. Female passengers from the affected family also reported that their brother was pushed off the bus and killed after his identity was verified.
CM Balochistan vowed to bring the perpetrators of the Barkhan attack to justice
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the brutal killings, stating that terrorists are targeting innocent and unarmed civilians. He vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice and assured a strong response. A Balochistan government spokesperson confirmed that FC and Levies forces reached the scene promptly and are actively pursuing the militants. A search operation is underway, but no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
This incident follows a recent terrorist attack in Harnai, where 11 laborers were killed in a blast, as reported by Harnai Deputy Commissioner Hazrat Wali Kakar.
According to data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), terror attacks in January 2025 increased by 42% compared to the previous month, with 74 attacks recorded nationwide. These attacks resulted in 91 fatalities, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants, while 117 others were injured.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remained the worst-affected province, followed by Balochistan. In KP’s settled districts, 27 attacks led to 19 deaths, including 11 security personnel, six civilians, and two militants. The tribal districts of KP witnessed 19 attacks, resulting in 46 fatalities, including 13 security personnel, eight civilians, and 25 militants.
30 terrorists killed in South Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
