Kalat: Three people were killed and seven others injured in an attack on a passenger coach in the Nimrug area of Kalat district of Balochistan when unidentified assailants opened fire on Wednesday.
The incident took place when the bus was travelling from Karachi to Quetta.
According to police sources, several passengers were injured in the attack, six of whom have been identified, while police and rescue teams immediately reached the spot.
According to sources, after the incident, the police collected evidence and provided medical assistance to the injured, while the bodies were shifted to DHQ Hospital Kalat for post-mortem, where an emergency has been imposed.
A heavy contingent of security forces has cordoned off the area, and a search operation is underway.
Confirming the incident, Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind said that three passengers were martyred and seven others were injured in the attack on the coach. Security agencies, district administration, and rescue teams are present at the spot.
He said that the security forces are pursuing the attackers.
Security sources have termed the incident as a possible act of terrorism; however, investigations are underway. On the other hand, the Balochistan government has strongly condemned the incident.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also condemned the firing on the coach in Kalat and said that targeting innocent passengers is an extremely barbaric act.
He said that terrorists are a scourge for the holy land and their elimination is necessary for the prosperity of the country.
Sind Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Victims of Kalat bus attack
In the highly unfortunate incident, renowned musician and Qawwal Nadeem Sabir was also present on the bus going to Quetta; however, he survived the attack.
According to the surviving passengers on the bus: “Terrorists opened indiscriminate fire on the bus”
Qawwal Nadeem Sabri says, “We were going to a Qawwali function and were only half an hour away from our destination when this incident happened.”
“We are Qawwals, what was our fault, We pray for the people, what did the terrorists punish us for? Three of our brothers were martyred in the firing.”
He added, “Our other colleagues were injured, all our belongings were destroyed, We have no quarrel with anyone, we are earning a living for our children.”
Security sources have affirmed that since the armed forces have launched successful operations against Fitna-al-Hindustan and the Frontier Corps (FC) have clamped on smuggling, these Indian sponsored terrorists are desperate.
‘One of the two reasons for terrorist attacks on passenger buses on highways is that they are soft targets. The second reason is that by doing such incidents, they want to divert the army and FC from the border and operation areas and bring them towards these places so that these terrorists can work easily in the border and operation areas,” sources stated.
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