AGENCY
Lahore, Feb 19
Unknown gunmen opened fire on a Lahore-bound bus on Tuesday, killing at least seven passengers. As per officials, the attack took place in Barkhan in Balochistan. As per a Reuters report, a group of around 40 armed men stopped multiple buses and vehicles. Quoting deputy commissioner Waqar Khurshid Alam, a senior administrative official, Reuters added that seven passengers were forced off the bus and then shot to death.
He added that all seven victims were from the central Punjab province. Khadim Hussain, assistant commissioner for the area, told Reuters that the killings took place on a highway connecting Barkhan to the southern city of Dera Ghaza Khan in Punjab.
The motive behind the killings remains unknown and no group has taken responsibility for these killings. Last week, a bomb targeting a vehicle carrying coal miners killed 11 people and injured six others. Last year in August, Pakistan saw a wave of attacks. The attackers targeted police stations, infrastructure and civilians, leaving dozens dead.
This operation, however, was claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army.
In October 2024 as well, insurgents targeted Chinese nationals in Balochistan due to China’s interest in the region for the Belt and Road Initiative.
