9 passengers killed in Noshki: PM Shehbaz condemns incident in Balochistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned on Saturday the incident in Noshki, Balochistan where nine passengers were reportedly shot dead by unknown assailants, Aaj News reported.

In a statement, the PM prayed for the departed souls and said the perpetrators of this incident of terrorism and their facilitators will be punished, as per Radio Pakistan.

He reaffirmed the commitment to wipe out the menace of terrorism and also sought a report into the incident.

As per Aaj News, the bus, traveling from Quetta, was intercepted by armed assailants who forced nine passengers off the bus and shot them.

The bodies were found under the bridge by the police who launched a search operation for the abductees.

The same attackers later fired at a car belonging to a provincial parliamentarian, senior local police officer Allah Bakhsh told AFP.

The lawmaker was not in the vehicle, but two people were killed when the car careened into a ditch.

"Police and paramilitary forces started combing the area for the arrest of the attackers," senior Noshki district administration official Habibullah Musakhail told AFP.

"But the attackers have managed to flee the area this time," he said, also confirming the death toll.

Bakhsh said the gunmen "clearly used the modus operandi of Baloch separatists" and "an investigation has been launched to confirm who was behind the attacks".