QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti has vowed to bring the perpetrators of the Sardhaka massacre to justice after armed assailants abducted and executed nine passengers in northern Balochistan. The brutal attack occurred late Thursday night near Zhob, where terrorists stopped multiple buses, forcibly removed passengers, and selectively killed them.
“We will crush every terror plan with full force,” declared CM Bugti, condemning the killings as an “unforgivable crime.” He accused the attackers of revealing their “cowardly and beastly nature” and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to dismantling terror networks linked to anti-state elements. Provincial spokesperson Shahid Rind described the incident as an act of sheer barbarity, emphasizing that the victims were unarmed civilians.
The slain passengers, all hailing from different districts of Punjab, were traveling on inter-provincial coaches when they were targeted. Assistant Commissioner Zhob, Naveed Alam, confirmed that the gunmen took the victims away from the buses before opening fire. The bodies were later transported to the Balochistan-Punjab border, where they were received by Punjab officials.
As investigations intensify, CM Bugti assured the nation that “the blood of the innocent will not go in vain.” He called for unity in the fight against terrorism, warning that Balochistan would respond with “unwavering resolve” to any threat against national security. The incident has sparked nationwide outrage, with calls for stronger measures to protect civilians on highways.