Gunmen opened fire on a bus traveling to Lahore in southwest Pakistan late Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of seven passengers, according to officials.
The incident occurred in the Barkhan district of Balochistan, a region that borders both Afghanistan and Iran.
As reported by Saadat Hussain, a senior government official speaking to AFP, the attackers punctured the bus's tires on a highway near the provincial boundary with Punjab.
Following this, the assailants demanded identification from the passengers.
"The terrorists removed passengers from Punjab province and executed them. They were lined up and shot," Hussain stated.
The identity of the attackers remains unknown. Balochistan has a long history of separatist violence.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is the most prominent militant group in the area, typically targeting security forces and individuals from other provinces in Pakistan.
There has been a noticeable increase in assaults on laborers from Punjab recently. Last year, militant actions against ethnic Punjabis resulted in at least 39 fatalities.
Additionally, the BLA has targeted Chinese initiatives in the region, claiming that external entities are exploiting Balochistan's rich resources while local residents continue to suffer from poverty.
