9 Bus Passengers From Pakistan's Punjab Killed By Insurgents In Balochistan After ID Check

Last Updated:July 11, 2025, 16:39 IST

The attackers checked the ID cards of the passengers, separated nine individuals from Punjab, and shot them dead at the roadside

All nine victims were residents of various districts in Punjab province. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. (Representational image via AP)

Nine passengers from Punjab were executed by armed insurgents in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Friday after being forced off a bus and identified through ID checks, local officials said.

The attack took place on the national highway near Zhob, a restive district in Balochistan. According to Assistant Commissioner Naveed Alam, the bus was travelling from Quetta to Lahore when insurgents stopped it.

Alam confirmed that the attackers checked the ID cards of the passengers, separated nine individuals from Punjab, and shot them dead at the roadside. He further added that the bodies had been shifted to a hospital for post-mortem examinations and burial arrangements.

All nine victims were residents of various districts in Punjab province. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. However, such targeted killings have previously been carried out by ethnic Baloch insurgent groups, who oppose the central government and often target non-Baloch workers or travellers.

This is not the first time people from Punjab have been singled out and killed in Balochistan. Similar incidents have occurred in the past, including in Barkhan earlier this year, when seven passengers from Punjab were offloaded from a bus and killed.

Meanwhile, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind reported that insurgents also launched attacks in three other towns — Quetta, Loralai, and Mastung — on the same night. He claimed security forces successfully repelled all three attacks and there were no confirmed casualties.

Local media, however, reported that multiple insurgent strikes had taken place overnight across the province, targeting security checkposts, police stations, banks, and communication towers.

Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has long been plagued by a separatist insurgency. Militants frequently target government forces, infrastructure projects, and workers associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion dollar development plan.

In March, five workers involved in transporting long-body trailers were shot dead in the Kalmat area near Gwadar port. A month earlier, in February, insurgents stopped a passenger bus in Barkhan, offloaded seven passengers from Punjab, and killed them on the spot.

(With inputs from agencies)

Karachi, Pakistan

News world 9 Bus Passengers From Pakistan's Punjab Killed By Insurgents In Balochistan After ID Check