Escalating Violence: Targeted Killings in Balochistan Shake Pakistan

In Balochistan, Pakistan, five Punjab residents were killed by unidentified gunmen who removed them from a bus, with another succumbing to injuries later. Such attacks by ethnic Baloch militants are on the rise, targeting people from Punjab, government projects, and security forces amid ongoing tensions.

In a surge of targeted violence, unidentified gunmen shot and killed five people from Punjab after forcibly removing them from a passenger bus in Balochistan, Pakistan. The incident was reported by media sources late Thursday night.

The attack occurred in the Gwadar district when armed men intercepted a Karachi-bound bus, killing five passengers in the Kalmat area. An additional passenger who was injured later succumbed to his injuries, raising the toll to six, as reported by Geo News, citing Gwadar Deputy Commissioner Hamoodur Rehman.

No group has taken responsibility for the attack, although similar past incidents have been linked to ethnic Baloch terrorist groups targeting Punjabis. The Pakistani government, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari, condemned the attack, emphasizing ongoing efforts to combat terrorism in the troubled province.

(With inputs from agencies.)