23 dead in Musakhail attack: Assailants target passengers on highway near Quetta

Armed men have killed 23 people after forcing them off their vehicles at a roadblock put up on a highway in Balochistan's Musakhail district, the police reported on Monday.

The attackers targeted trucks and buses on an inter-provincial highway near Rarah Sham, according to Musakhail’s police chief, Ayub Achakzai.

Militants forcesd passengers off the vehicles, and shot them after checking their identity cards, a senior superintendent of police, Ayub Achakzai, told Reuters.

The militants set 35 vehicles ablaze before the fleeing the scene. Most of the victims belonged to Punjab province of Pakistan.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) terrorist group took responsibility in a statement emailed to journalists that claimed many more attacks, including one on a major paramilitary base. The terror group's claim could not be independently verified.

A heavy police contingent and levies officials responded, transporting the bodies to a nearby hospital.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the attack.

Before fleeing the scene, the assailants set more than 10 vehicles on fire, Achakzai said.

Condemnations pour in

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a passenger bus in Balochistan's Musakhel area. Expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives, they offered prayers for the departed souls and extended their condolences to the grieving families.

President Zardari described the brutal killing of innocent people as an attack on humanity itself, emphasizing that terrorists are enemies of both Pakistan and humanity. He called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed local authorities to fully support the bereaved families and ensure immediate medical assistance for the injured. He also instructed law enforcement agencies to promptly investigate the incident, vowing that those responsible would face severe punishment. Sharif reiterated that any form of terrorism is unacceptable in Pakistan.

Both leaders reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering commitment to eradicating terrorism.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti strongly condemned the attack, expressing heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.

Bugti stated that the terrorists had targeted innocent people and vowed that neither the attackers nor their facilitators would escape justice.

He assured that the government would relentlessly pursue those responsible.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar also condemned the attack, denouncing the terrorists for targeting innocent passengers. He vowed that those responsible, including their facilitators, would be brought to justice and expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the affected families.

Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, have also condemned the attack. They expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident and the loss of twenty-three passengers who were identified and killed during the attack.