23 passengers, 14 security personnel among those martyred in a single day.  President Zardari, PM Shehbaz condemn terror attacks, vow exemplary punishment.  Govt will establish its writ no matter how strong measures will be taken: CM Balochistan.

QUETTA/ISLAMABAD   -  More than 50 people including 23 passengers and 14 security personnel were martyred in violent attacks while 21 terrorists were eliminated in a single day across Balochistan on Monday.

In one incident, terrorists killed at least 23 travellers in the Musakhel area of Balochistan after offloading them from trucks and buses on early Monday, police and security officials said.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said that at least “38 innocent people” were martyred by terrorists in multiple attacks. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that at least 14 security personnel, including four law enforcement officials, were martyred during clearance operations that resulted in the killing of the 21 terrorists.

CM Bugti during a press conference in Quetta said that those involved in the killings are terrorists and not the Balochs. He was referring to the several terror incidents in Balochistan.

SP Musakhel Ayub Achakzai told reporters armed terrorists intercepted the vehicles on the inter-provincial highway and forced some passengers offloaded in the Rarasham area of the district. He said the terrorists also set 10 vehicles on fire. He said that police and Levies arrived at the scene and transferred the bodies to the hospital.

The attack happened overnight on a highway in Balochistan province, where security forces are battling the terrorists. The armed men checked identity documents, reportedly singling out those from Punjab to be shot, before setting the vehicles alight, officials alleged.

Terrorist group BLA reportedly claimed it was behind the attacks in Musa Khel district.

Over the past 24 hours, the BLA launched a series of attacks on multiple government installations - including police stations and security forces’ camps across province.

In Kalat, 11 were martyred - five of them security personnel - and six bodies were recovered in another district in Balochistan. According to Najibullah Kakar, a senior local official, around 30 to 40 terrorists were involved in Musa Khel. “They stopped 22 vehicles,” he said. “Vehicles travelling to and from Punjab were inspected, and individuals from Punjab were identified and shot.”

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the attacks were “a well-thought out plan to create anarchy in Pakistan”.

In a similar incident in April this year, nine passengers were offloaded from a bus in Balochistan and shot dead after their IDs were checked.

Security forces and law enforcement agencies responded effectively to these attacks. According to the ISPR, on night 25/ 26 August 2024, terrorists attempted to conduct numerous heinous activities in Balochistan. On behest of inimical and hostile forces, these cowardly acts of terrorism were aimed at disrupting the peaceful environment and development of Balochistan by targeting mainly the innocent civilians, especially in Musa Khel, Kalat and Lasbela Districts. Resultantly, numerous innocent civilians embraced shahadat.

In Musa Khel District, terrorists stopped a bus in general area Rara Sham and maliciously targeted innocent citizens, working in Balochistan to earn their livelihood.

Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies immediately responded and successfully thwarted the evil design of terrorists and sent twenty-one terrorists to hell in ensuing clearance operations, ensuring security and protection of local populace.

However, during the conduct of operations, fourteen brave sons of soil including ten Security Forces soldiers and four personnel of law enforcement agencies, having fought gallantly, made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat.

Sanitisation operations are being conducted and the instigators, perpetrators, facilitators and abettors of these heinous and cowardly acts, targeting innocent civilians, will be brought to justice.

Security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan in step with the nation remain determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.

‘Terrorists are enemies of country, humanity’

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday strongly condemned a terrorist attack targeting a passenger bus in the Musakhel area of Balochistan.

They expressed their deep grief over the loss of precious lives in the attack and called for taking the perpetrators to task. Both the president and prime minister prayed to Allah Almighty for peace for the departed souls and strength for the bereaved families to bear the loss.

“The killing of innocent people is tantamount to killing the entire mankind. The terrorists are enemies of the country, nation, and humanity,” the president said and reiterated the nation’s resolve to keep up fighting terrorism.

Prime Minister Shehbaz directed the law enforcement agencies to carry out an immediate probe into the incident. He also instructed the authorities to cooperate with victim families and extend urgent medical care to the injured.

“The perpetrators of this attack will be given an exemplary punishment. No form of terrorism is acceptable in the country. Our fight against terrorism will continue till the complete elimination of the scourge.” the prime minister resolved.

‘We will never sit silent’

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti reiterated the resolve to root out the menace of terrorism from the province. Addressing media along with representative of the allied parties in Quetta, he said we will never sit silent over the incidence of terrorism and will take every possible measure to curb it.

Condemning the recent incident of terror in strong words, he said from today we will not listen to propaganda tools that are aimed at getting sympathy and will take robust action against all involved in spoiling peace of the land. He said some forces are maligning government through propaganda after acquiring sympathy through different means. He said all those political forces who keep soft corners for the spoilers of peace should rethink.

The chief minister said to fight the war against terrorism and restore peace in the province, we will improve response time on highways while the capacity of CTD and police will also be enhanced. Smart kinetic approach will be adopted to target these terrorist elements. He said there is no good or bad violence, we have to deal all kind of violence equally.

The CM said we have all circumstantial evidences of this intelligence driven war that is aimed at weakening the state. He said some people are also becoming its part indirectly and unknowingly. He said they are advised not to become part of their propaganda tools.

The CM said door of dialogue is always open for those who want to surrender for peace otherwise no one will be allowed to spread violence. He categorically said the government will establish its writ no matter how strong measures will be taken.

To a question, he said regarding missing person the government made a commission and 84 percent of the cases have been resolved, but, unfortunately in every dialogue the parties put other demands than staying focused on resolving this specific issue.

Funeral prayers of Kalat’s martyrs offered

The funeral prayers of the Levies and Police personnel who were martyred by unknown armed men last night were offered at RTC Kalat.

Deputy Commissioner Kalat, Bilal Shabir, SSP Kalat Dostin Dashti, Commandant Kalat Scouts at Khuzdar Col Hafiz Kashif, Wing Commander FC Col Umar Farooq, Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr. Dost Mohammad Langov, Director Operation Balochistan Levies Force Dr. Mirwias, Assistant Commissioner Aftab Ahmed Lasi, Principal RTC Kalat Sikandar Khan Khajak, QRF Major Ghulam Murtaza Ummrani DSP Manzoor Ahmad, DSP Abdul Rahim, DSP Zubir Ahmad and senior official of Levies and Police forces, political and tribal leaders and the general public attended the funeral prayers. Levies and Police forces paid tribute to the martyrs and prayed for the elevation of the ranks. The official source confirmed that a police sub-inspector, four Levies officials, and five civilians were killed in the carnage.

The martyred included Sub-Inspector Hazoor Bakhsh of Balochistan Police, Levies Personnel including Ali Akber, Ihsanullah, Rehmatullah, Naseebullah and the civilians identified as Malik Zabar Khan, Hamza, and Shahbaz, whereas two others remained unidentified who lost their lives in Kalat incident.