Late on Tuesday, Pakistani authorities said that at least seven people were killed when “terrorists” stopped a bus on a major highway in the province of Balochistan in the southwest.
When their bus was ambushed in the Barkhan district, the victims were en route from Quetta, the provincial capital, to Punjab, the central province. After verifying the passengers’ ethnic Punjabi identity, the attackers shot seven of them dead, according to survivors and local police.
The ongoing tensions in Balochistan, a region plagued by conflict as a result of separatist movements, are reflected in this incident. Targeting passengers on the basis of their ethnic identity, the attack draws attention to the complexity of the situation and the way that nationalist feelings can turn into violence against people who are seen as foreigners.
Such activities have been characteristic of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which aims to
to defend Baloch autonomy and rights, but with disastrous results for defenseless civilians.
In light of this attack, local authorities will probably tighten security, but it also raises questions about regional traveler safety and the wider ramifications for Pakistan’s ethnic relations.
In the upcoming days, it will be crucial to keep an eye out for any possible escalation or retaliatory attacks.
