In a horrifying incident in Balochistan’s Musakhel district, 23 passengers were killed after being forcibly offloaded from their vehicles by armed assailants.
According to Musakhel SP Ayub Achakzai, the attack occurred at a checkpoint set up by the armed men on the inter-provincial highway near Rarah Sham area, about two kilometres from Dera Ghazi Road Khangri.
The assailants forced passengers off trucks and buses and shot them after identifying them. The attackers also set fire to 10 vehicles before fleeing the scene.
Police and Levies forces arrived promptly and transported the bodies to a hospital.
The deceased were reported to be from Punjab.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari hit out at the terrorists who snuffed lights out of lives of innocent people.
They expressed grief over the loss of lives and said it was the murder of humanity.
They offered condolences to the bereaved families and resolved to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to ensure best possible treatment of the injured.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the terrorist attack in the strongest terms and expressed deep sympathy and condolences to the victims’ families.
Naqvi stated that the terrorists demonstrated extreme cruelty by targeting the innocent people near Musakhel.
He pleged that the terrorists and their accomplices would face severe consequences.
The minister also acknowledged the immense sacrifices made by security forces and all segments of society in the ongoing fight against terrorism.