DERA GHAZI KHAN: The remains of nine individuals killed in the Balochistan bus ambush were dispatched to their hometowns across Punjab on Friday.
The victims, abducted by terrorists linked to Fitna-ul-Hindustan while traveling from Quetta to Lahore in Zhob district on Thursday night, were executed after their identities were verified. The bodies were handed over to civil and military officials and subsequently sent to their respective localities.
According to Dera Ghazi Khan Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed, the deceased hailed from various cities including Lahore, Gujrat, Khanewal, Gujranwala, Lodhran, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Muzaffargarh.It was reported that brothers Jabar and Usman from Dunyapur tehsil in Lodhran were en route to attend their father’s funeral when they were forcibly removed from the bus in front of their families and shot dead.
The other victims have been identified as Muhammad Irfan from D.G. Khan, Sabir from Gujranwala, Muhammad Asif from Muzaffargarh, Ghulam Saeed from Khanewal, Muhammad Junaid from Lahore, Muhammad Bilal from Attock, and Bilawal from Gujrat.Sabir, who worked at a local food establishment for 15 years and was the sole provider for his family, was from Wahndo in Gujranwala. He left behind four children, the eldest of whom is 14 years old.
The terrorist group Balochistan Liberation Front, affiliated with Fitna-ul-Hindustan, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that they had blocked the Musakhel-Mukhtar and Khajuri routes and executed the abducted passengers.
PRESIDENT STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE VIOLENCE
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the brutal killing of the bus passengers, reaffirming the nation’s determination to eliminate Fitna-ul-Hindustan and its supporters.In a statement, he described the attack as a heinous conspiracy aimed at destabilizing Pakistan, emphasizing that the terrorists’ goal was to incite chaos and unrest. The president vowed that Pakistan would root out all elements of Fitna-ul-Hindustan and its accomplices, and assured the grieving families of his solidarity.
PM SHARIF PROMISES JUSTICE
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the kidnapping and murder of the civilians, vowing to seek justice and punish those responsible.
“Innocent lives have been taken in a blatant act of terrorism by Fitna-ul-Hindustan. We will respond with full force,” the prime minister stated through a release from the PM Office. He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to confront terrorism with unity and determination, and to eliminate this menace from the country.
MARYAM NAWAZ ALSO CONDEMNS ATTACK
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed her profound sorrow over the terrorist assault and condemned the loss of innocent lives. She emphasized that such acts of violence are unacceptable and called for unity against extremism
