18 travellers killed in Turbat bus attack
According to details, the assailants forced the travellers to disembark their bus before being shot.
A Levies official said that the people were travelling by bus to Iran to find employment. Of the 20 people on board, fate of two travellers could not be immediately ascertained, the official said.
Police contingent and Balochistan Levies have reached the site, and are canvassing the area for the assailants.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack as yet.
The route is often used by Shia pilgrims travelling to and from Iran. Though the ethnicity of those targeted on Friday was not immediately known.
Chief Minsiter Balochistan Aslam Raisani has also taken note of the incident and has ordered an FIR to be registered against the owners of the bus and the transport company which was operating it.
Earlier this month, 14 Shias belonging to the Hazara community were killed after gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying 50 passengers was travelling from Taftan to Iran. The banned outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi had claimed for the attack.
This is the fourth time this year that pilgrims to Iran have been killed.
According to a report, ethnic and sectarian violence has claimed more than 400 lives in more than 200 incidents in the past four years in Balochistan.
COMMENTS (36)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1725612926-0/Tribune-Pic-(8)1725612926-0-165x106.webp "article")
1725254039-0/Untitled-design-(24)1725254039-0-270x192.webp "no talks currently taking place as dialogue can t be held under threats mohsin naqvi")
What these killings of Hazaras shows to the outside world!
give dua to ZIA UL HAQ......and our islamic history.....it will continue inshallah..
I dont understand why an FIR against the bus owner is being filed ? Was he colluding with the terrorists to kill his own customers?
@Mirza: Sorry to say this but you are using a blatant lie to advance your argument. I think it is shameful to defend CIA drones in this way. CIA drones don't target sectarian Sunni/Shia groups. They attack only those who are opposed to US occupation of Afghanistan. US never claimed to be attacking sectarian groups or 'extremists.' Second, almost all sectarian groups in Pakistan Shia and Sunni have been weakened. The attacks in Balochistan are part of the terror in that province emanating from Afghanistan for strategic reasons, killing Shia, Sunni, Urdu speaking, Pashto speaking, Punjabi speaking, college teachers, etc. as long as they are Pakistani.
Pakistan must ban all Sunni and Shia extremist groups taking money or instructions from SAudi Arabia and Iran..in this case all those killed were Sunni Muslims.
@Munnabhai: Where is Pakistani Army? Pakistan Army is after something Zia ul haq had promissed them! Today joblessness, poverty, lack of dignity hitting Pakistan at it's heights just because of Zia ul haq the slave of Saudi Arabia and Result of Iran's negative way of critisizing one specific sect of Islam. No one from Saudi Arabia or Iran is dying on daily basis but people of Pakistan and Afghanistan are dying daily! Sometime I think all these Islamists have joined hands with the evil to kill innocent humans. I know no one from negative side would care what I am writing here. Can you imagine how cruel this fact is: In foreign countries we look for Muslim Butchers! We never ask the Butchers their sect. We only know they are Muslims and we buy halal meat from them. Why it is not possible inside our own countries???? In Quetta All Hazaras buy their meat from Hazara, Baloch, Pashtun, Punjabi or Urdu speaker butchers! Baloch separatists, don't blame others but blame your own leaders who have kept you deprived of all the good knowledges of the modern world. Ask your current Baloch leaders if they are true Guardians of the Province. Hey, life is nothing but it is everything when you try to search for the facts. Today every one know what this game is and how one group is taking advantage of it. Depending on infinite life of my soul I just wonder how these soul holders manage to kill a HUMAN(s)??? Believe me if no one stopped it the greatest of all forces will stop it. People have been threaten of DEATH. DEATH will come form Allah to all who are silent and watching. I love all my friends, Hazaras, Pashtun, Baloch, Punjabi or Urdu speakers. Yes, We Hazaras look different but WE are good observers. One day if I get the power, I will bring all the people together and show them that friendship has no SECT or Religion! Enough for Hazaras, and same for the surrounding Tribes. Sleep nice all. Souls live forever.
Please do not worry. In due course of time President Zardari, Prime Minister Raja Perwez Ashraf, Governor Zulfiqar Magsi, Chief Minister Raisani, Interior Advisor Rehman Malik will all take notice of this event and then life will go on till the next incident happens which will again need to be taken notice of and so on and so forth.
It is confirmed that most of the travelers were from Punjab and KPK. Sadly Balochs are creating problems only for themselves. Baloch has no honor, no respect and finally I am dead sure that Balochs are no different from Jihadists who have taken entire Pakistan hostage. These separatists have taken hostage the very 'honor' the Balochs fight for. Very shameful Incident.
The news is false, unless you're saying that each of those people was several people. That's because the 'shia' is a plural, 'shias' is grammatically wrong.
@Munnabhai: "Where is the pakistani armed forces? – Isn’t it their job to protect Pakistan?
"
If you have read Rehman Malik, Rangers and other law enforcement agencies will be assigned to ensure safety of NATO goods. Between NATO goods and VIPs where is the capacity left for securing common Pakistanis particularly of minority communities?
Why no one is protesting for this Ethnic Cleanisg going on daily in Pakistan? It really shows the True colours of this so called Islamic State ! Shame on you ! As these are also your Fellow Muslims !
TV reports they were from Punjab and KP. Were they pilgrims or just going to Iran for job?
I repeat again, the seeds of genocide are being sown in this land of the impure with the help of our free and fair media. The short sighted jihadi apologists don't realize that after cleansing of minorities, the very same jihadis will turn their guns on anybody within Ahle Sunnat who dare to preach tolerance, humanity and respect. This is the beginning of the end
I truly believe our agencies are involved in all these killings. is it that hard to track down all these terrorists and just finish them off? no its not. May Allah destroy the killers of innocent human being and may Allah also punish the people that aid them
If govt and para military forces are failed to protect citizens in Baluchistan then call army to start operation like Waziristan. The influence of Taliban has increased in Baluchistan. If military will see and wait like spectators then security will be worse and uncontrolled. Police of Balouchistan is equally involved in sectarian violence in Balouchistan.
Why cant we go out on the streets and protest? High time, and no I am not a Shia, I am a Sunni.
Human life is sacred. This is enraging.
@Imran Haider: It is very humbling to read your comments. I have been raised in an extreme Sunni family but we never hated anybody. I have outgrown all my prejudices and preconceived myths. There are lot of people like me and you in Pakistan. However, they are afraid to stand up to this terrorist Mafia. Forget the old cases of ZAB, more recently they targeted BB and finally eliminated her, then Taseer and Bhutti and many secular and liberal people of ANP. These people were not killed for their bad policies but for their liberal and secular thinking. It is not surprising that not a single rightwing leader has been targeted by these terrorists. In this environment nobody would be able to face this tide. That is why I take the US help and drones as the only option for marginalized people of Pakistan. Thanks and regards, Mirza
INTOLERANCE in every sphere... across the country...
Intolerance towards other religions, other sects, other regions, other countries and so on.. being loudly & shamelessly taught to the people.. if anybody dares to speak against it, will be branded as LIBERAL TRAITOR..
@Mirza: Thank you for writing these courageous words so crisply. I wish Pakistan had military leaders and politicians who had this much moral clarity. But, alas.
Baloch liberation tigers have accepted responsibility for this ethnic terrorism.They said they killed the passengers as they were punjabis.
.......and I suppose our worthy President wall take notice of this.
How much more violance, how much more lawlessness, how many more deaths the so called government (if any) needs to wake up and do something about it????
This was an ethnic attack,not a sectarian attack.Passengers from punjab were targeted and killed in cold blood.When will this genocide of punjabis end??
Thousands of punjabi civilians have been killed in target killings in balochistan,whether they were settlers living in balochistan for decades or punjabis passing through balochistan to find employment in other countries.This deliberate ethnic cleansing must stop.
So people from punjab going for employment to Iran have been targetted and murdered.For how long will this deliberate violent campaign against punjabis in balochistan go on for? It's time the govt. took action against the terrorists killing innocent civilians.
Is this government of PPP deaf, dumb and blind? They are only concerned with the throne, when asked about responsibility, they claim to be helpless as establishment is running the show. Thank what on earth are you sitting in government for?
Where is the pakistani armed forces? - Isn't it their job to protect Pakistan?
Aaaaahhhh. One more attack on Shia Hazara. How hard hearted these killer are.