Daijiworld Media Network – Quetta

Quetta, Jul 11: In a horrific act of violence, nine bus passengers were abducted and brutally shot dead by armed assailants in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, government officials confirmed on Friday.

The victims were reportedly taken from multiple buses on Thursday evening. According to provincial government spokesperson Shahid Rind, the passengers were forcibly removed at gunpoint, and their bullet-riddled bodies were later discovered in the mountainous terrain of the region during the night.

While no group has so far claimed responsibility for the killings, officials suspect the hand of Baloch separatist militants, who have been active in the area for decades. “Their bodies were found with bullet injuries in a desolate mountainous region,” said government official Naveed Alam.

This type of targeted violence is not new to Balochistan, a province that has seen repeated attacks by insurgent outfits allegedly retaliating against the central government. In past incidents, passengers have been killed after being identified as originating from Punjab province, pointing towards ethnic and political motivations behind such crimes.

Among the militant outfits operating in the volatile region, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is considered the most prominent. The group, along with other factions, has waged an armed rebellion demanding greater autonomy and a larger share of the region’s natural resources.

The mineral-rich Balochistan province borders Afghanistan and Iran, and despite its strategic importance, it remains economically underdeveloped and politically unstable. Ethnic Baloch militants accuse the Pakistani state of exploiting their resources for the benefit of Punjab province, fueling resentment and leading to repeated waves of violence.

Authorities have launched an investigation and recovery operation in the area. Meanwhile, the heinous killing has sparked outrage and fear among citizens, further highlighting the deteriorating security situation in the province.