Seven Killed in Balochistan Bus Attack

In Balochistan's Barkhan district, gunmen killed seven Punjabi passengers after intercepting a bus traveling from Quetta to Faisalabad. The attackers stopped the bus, burst its tires, and checked identity cards before taking the selected passengers to a nearby mountain and shooting them. Although no group has claimed responsibility, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), known for targeting Punjabi laborers and other ethnic groups in the province, is suspected. The region has a history of separatist violence, with groups seeking greater autonomy and control over local resources. This attack adds to the ongoing ethnic and sectarian violence in Balochistan, a mineral-rich province bordering Afghanistan and Iran. Authorities have launched a search operation to find the perpetrators, and the incident has led to the suspension of traffic on the National Highway connecting Punjab to Balochistan.