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Nine Passengers Killed in Balochistan Highway Abduction
Nine Punjab-bound passengers abducted and executed by militants in Balochistan’s Sardhaka. Govt blames Indian-backed terrorists. Nation mourns; leaders vow vengeance.
ND
by News Desk
2025-07-11
Nine Passengers Killed in Balochistan Highway Abduction

Nine passengers traveling on two Punjab-bound buses were abducted and brutally murdered in Balochistan’s Sardhaka area late Thursday night. The victims’ bodies were recovered on Friday and transported to their hometowns in Punjab, officials confirmed.

According to Assistant Commissioner Naveed Alam, the incident occurred in the Sur-Dakai area near the Balochistan-Punjab border, between the districts of Zhob and Loralai. Armed militants intercepted two passenger coaches near the N-70 highway, forcibly removing 10 passengers — all of Punjabi origin — after checking their identity cards. Gunfire was heard as the attackers fled with their captives. Nine of the abducted were later found dead, while one remains unaccounted for.

The banned Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) claimed responsibility, stating they carried out the ambush after blocking the highway near Musakhail-Makhtar and Khajuri. The Balochistan government referred to the assailants as part of "Fitna-al-Hindustan", a label used for foreign-sponsored terror outfits operating in the province.

Seven of the deceased have been identified as residents of Lodhran, Dera Ghazi Khan, Gujrat, Attock, Khanewal, and Gujranwala. Two remain unidentified due to missing documents, allegedly taken by the attackers.

National Outrage and Condemnation

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the killings as “barbaric” and part of a broader conspiracy by anti-Pakistan elements. “This brutality is part of Fitna-al-Hindustan’s evil plot to spill blood and divide our nation,” he said, reaffirming the state’s commitment to wipe out such elements.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed the sentiment: “We will avenge the blood of our innocent citizens. This terrorism is a direct assault on Pakistan’s unity.”

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti called the incident a “state war” and declared: “Balochistan will become a graveyard for enemies of Pakistan. We will not even let these murderers hide underground.”

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi blamed Indian-backed groups and vowed relentless action. “We will chase and eliminate terrorists who target innocent citizens.”

Grief on the Ground

Among the survivors was Sabir Toor, who was traveling with 10 family members to Lodhran for his father’s funeral. His two brothers were dragged from the bus and executed in front of their family. “We now have three funerals. My brothers were innocent laborers, not affiliated with any political group,” he told media in tears, demanding justice from the state.

Human Rights Concern

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned the “wanton violence” and urged the government to find a political solution to Balochistan’s unrest. “Violence against labourers and common citizens must cease immediately,” it said in a statement.

Context of Rising Violence

This incident follows a disturbing pattern of ethnically targeted attacks in Balochistan. Earlier this year, nine people were shot dead near Noshki, two laborers killed in Kech, and seven others offloaded and executed in Barkhan. In 2023, similar massacres were carried out in Gwadar and Musakhail.

Authorities have now launched a major search operation across the Loralai-Zhob belt, suspending highway traffic and vowing swift justice.

The victims’ families and the nation await not only justice but assurance that such horrors will never be repeated.

 
Tagged:

BalochistanAttack

TerrorismInPakistan

ZhobIncident

PunjabPassengersKilled
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