Latest news with #NaveedAlam
Kuwait Times
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Armed men kidnap, kill nine Pakistani bus passengers
QUETTA: Rescue personnel transfer the body of a bus passenger into an ambulance, a day after he was killed in a militant attack allegedly by the separatist group Balochistan Liberation Front (BLA), at the Zhob district in Balochistan province on July 11, 2025. -- AFP QUETTA, Pakistan: Pakistan's authorities retrieved the bullet-ridden bodies of nine bus passengers kidnapped by insurgents in a spate of attacks on buses in the mountainous southwestern province of Balochistan, officials said on Friday. The separatist Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) claimed the killings of the nine laborers, saying that they were involved in spying for Pakistani intelligence agencies. Baloch separatists, who have been demanding a greater share of resources, have played a role in similar past killings of those identified as hailing from the eastern province of Punjab. Government official Naveed Alam said the bodies with bullet wounds were found in the mountains overnight, while a provincial government spokesman, Shahid Rind, said the passengers were seized from two buses on Thursday evening. 'We are identifying the bodies and reaching out to their families,' he said, adding that the victims, working as laborers in the restive region, were returning home to Punjab. They include two brothers who were going to attend the funeral of their father, Alam said. Ethnic insurgents accuse Pakistan's government of stealing regional resources to fund expenditure elsewhere, mainly in the sprawling province of Punjab. Security forces foiled three insurgent attacks on Thursday before the kidnappings, Rind said, accusing India of backing the militants. The Indian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. New Delhi denies accusations by Islamabad that it is funding, training and backing the militants in a bid to stoke instability in the region, where Pakistan relies on China among international investors to develop mines and mineral processing. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is the strongest among the insurgent groups long operating in the area bordering Afghanistan and Iran, a mineral-rich region. In recent months, separatists have stepped up their attacks, mostly targeting Pakistan's military, which has launched an intelligence-based offensive against them. Their other main targets have been Chinese nationals and interests, in particular the strategic port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, with the separatists accusing Beijing of helping Islamabad to exploit resources. The BLA blew up a railway track and took over 400 train passengers hostage in an attack in March that killed 31. – Reuters
AsiaOne
12-07-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Pakistan says armed men kidnap, kill 9 bus passengers in restive province, Asia News
QUETTA, Pakistan - Pakistan's authorities retrieved the bullet-ridden bodies of nine bus passengers kidnapped by insurgents in a spate of attacks on buses in the mountainous southwestern province of Balochistan, officials said on Friday (July 11). The separatist Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) claimed the killings of the nine labourers, saying that they were involved in spying for Pakistani intelligence agencies. Baloch separatists, who have been demanding a greater share of resources, have played a role in similar past killings of those identified as hailing from the eastern province of Punjab. Government official Naveed Alam said the bodies with bullet wounds were found in the mountains overnight, while a provincial government spokesman, Shahid Rind, said the passengers were seized from two buses on Thursday evening. "We are identifying the bodies and reaching out to their families," he said, adding that the victims, working as labourers in the restive region, were returning home to Punjab. They include two brothers who were going to attend the funeral of their father, Alam said. Ethnic insurgents accuse Pakistan's government of stealing regional resources to fund expenditure elsewhere, mainly in the sprawling province of Punjab. Security forces foiled three insurgent attacks on Thursday before the kidnappings, Rind said, accusing neighbour and arch rival India of backing the militants. The Indian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. New Delhi denies accusations by Islamabad that it is funding, training and backing the militants in a bid to stoke instability in the region, where Pakistan relies on China among international investors to develop mines and mineral processing. "India is now doubling down to further its nefarious agenda through its proxies," the Pakistani army said in a statement in remarks that followed the worst fighting in nearly three decades between the nuclear-armed foes in May. [[nid:719960]] The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is the strongest among the insurgent groups long operating in the area bordering Afghanistan and Iran, a mineral-rich region. In recent months, separatists have stepped up their attacks, mostly targeting Pakistan's military, which has launched an intelligence-based offensive against them. Their other main targets have been Chinese nationals and interests, in particular the strategic port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, with the separatists accusing Beijing of helping Islamabad to exploit resources. The BLA blew up a railway track and took over 400 train passengers hostage in an attack in March that killed 31.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
11-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Armed men kidnap, kill nine bus passengers in Balochistan, BLF claims responsibility
Pakistan's authorities retrieved the bullet-ridden bodies of nine bus passengers kidnapped by insurgents in a spate of attacks on buses in the mountainous southwestern province of Balochistan, officials said on Friday read more Authorities in Pakistan have recovered the bullet-riddled bodies of nine bus passengers who were kidnapped by insurgents during a series of attacks in the mountainous southwestern province of Balochistan, officials confirmed on Friday. The separatist Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) claimed responsibility, accusing the victims —identified as laborers — of spying for Pakistani intelligence agencies. Baloch separatists, long demanding a larger share of regional resources, have previously targeted individuals from the eastern province of Punjab in similar killings. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Government official Naveed Alam said the bodies were discovered overnight in the mountains, while provincial spokesman Shahid Rind confirmed that the passengers were seized from two buses Thursday evening. 'We are identifying the bodies and reaching out to their families,' Reuters quoted Rind as saying, adding that the victims, working as labourers in the restive region, were returning home to Punjab. They include two brothers who were going to attend the funeral of their father, Alam said. Ethnic insurgents accuse Pakistan's government of stealing regional resources to fund expenditure elsewhere, mainly in the sprawling province of Punjab. Security forces foiled three insurgent attacks on Thursday before the kidnappings, Rind said, accusing neighbour and arch rival India of backing the militants. The Indian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. New Delhi denies accusations by Islamabad that it is funding, training and backing the militants in a bid to stoke instability in the region, where Pakistan relies on China among international investors to develop mines and mineral processing. 'India is now doubling down to further its nefarious agenda through its proxies,' the Pakistani army said in a statement in remarks that followed the worst fighting in nearly three decades between the nuclear-armed foes in May. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is the strongest among the insurgent groups long operating in the area bordering Afghanistan and Iran, a mineral-rich region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In recent months, separatists have stepped up their attacks, mostly targeting Pakistan's military, which has launched an intelligence-based offensive against them. Their other main targets have been Chinese nationals and interests, in particular the strategic port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, with the separatists accusing Beijing of helping Islamabad to exploit resources. The BLA blew up a railway track and took over 400 train passengers hostage in an attack in March that killed 31.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pakistan bus attack: Baloch rebel check IDs, kill 9; ‘terrorists took documents,' official says
Nine people were shot dead by rebels in Pakistan's Balochistan province late Thursday after they were pulled off passenger buses. The victims were targeted based on their identity cards showing Punjab origins, as per reports. According to Dawn, two buses travelling from Quetta to Punjab were intercepted near Sur-Dakai along the Loralai-Zhob highway. Armed men reportedly blocked the road, boarded the vehicles, and began checking passengers' CNICs. Those identified as residents of Punjab were taken off at gunpoint and later killed. 'The terrorists forced the two passenger buses to stop on a highway and pulled nine passengers out. They took them in an area nearby and killed all of them,' said local official Naveed Alam, speaking to AFP. District administrator Saadat Hussain confirmed that the bodies were later recovered from the roadside. 'The forces found the dead bodies all belong to different areas of Punjab,' he told AFP. 'The terrorists must have taken the passengers' identification documents with them,' AC Alam told Dawn. While no group initially claimed responsibility, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLA) later took credit. The group has waged a long-running insurgency against the Pakistani state, frequently targeting non-Baloch civilians and military personnel. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Beachfront Living in Mumbai at Sunteck Beach Residences Sunteck Realty Learn More Undo The Baloch insurgency, which seeks independence from Islamabad, has intensified in recent years despite claims by Pakistani authorities that it is under control. President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the killings, blaming 'terrorists from the outlawed BLA' for seeking to destabilise the country. The killings echo a similar attack last year in which 23 passengers were killed. Human rights groups and separatists have accused Pakistan's security forces of brutal counter-insurgency tactics, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
Express Tribune
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Bodies of victims killed in Balochistan bus attack sent to Punjab for burial
The bodies of nine passengers who were abducted and killed in Balochistan's Loralai district last night were recovered and transported to their hometowns in Punjab for last rites, officials said on Friday. Assistant Commissioner Naveed Alam said seven of the victims have been identified—hailing from Lodhran, Dera Ghazi Khan, Gujrat, Attock, Khanewal, and Gujranwala—while two remain unidentified due to missing documentation. Among those killed were brothers Usman and Jabir, who were travelling back to Punjab with their family to attend their father's funeral scheduled for 9am today. Sabir, their brother, shared on social media that their father had died the previous day. On Thursday night, terrorists allegedly affiliated with Fitna al-Hindustan gunned down at least nine passengers from Punjab-bound buses passing through Sardhaka area of Balochistan's Loralai district. The assailants checked the passengers' ID cards and reportedly targetted individuals with Punjab addresses. The incident occured near the N-70 highway at a site along the Loralai-Zhob border. Read: Terrorists slaughter nine passengers Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said that the terrorists, who carried out this gruesome attack, belonged to the Fitna al-Hindustan. In May this year, the government designated all terrorist organisations in Balochistan as Fitna-al-Hindustan. The term refers to Indian-backed and/or sponsored terrorist organisations operating in Balochistan. Proscibed group Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) reportedly claimed responsibility for the killings, stating it blocked the highway between Musakhail-Makhtar and Khajuri before targeting the passengers. 'Barbaric act' Condemnations poured in shortly after the attack. President Asif Ali Zardari described the killings as a 'barbaric act' and said that it was part of Fitna al-Hindustan's broader conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan, according to state-run Radio Pakistan. He reaffirmed the state's commitment to cleanse the country of all such threats and their facilitators, saying, 'We will clear our land of Fitna al-Hindustan at all costs'. Similarly, PM Shehbaz condemned the attack in the strongest terms, terming it 'blatant terrorism'. He asserted that the perpetrators would be dealt with through full state force. 'The blood of innocent people will be avenged,' he said, blaming the Indian state for supporting such acts against unarmed civilians. Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi denounced the killings as "cowardly barbarism" by 'India‑sponsored terrorists and their local facilitators', vowing nationwide pursuit and punishment of the perpetrators. لورالائی اور موسی خیل کے قریب قومی شاہراہ پر سرہ ڈاکئی کے مقام پر فتنہ الہندوستان کے دہشتگردوں کی بزدلانہ کارروائی وفاقی وزیرداخلہ محسن نقوی کی بے گناہ و معصوم مسافروں کو نشانہ بنانے کی شدید الفاظ میں مذمت — Ministry of Interior GoP (@MOIofficialGoP) July 10, 2025 He expressed sympathy for the bereaved families and reaffirmed the state's commitment to thwart all plots against national peace and integrity. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the attack as well, describing it as 'blatant terrorism' and an unforgivable crime committed solely based on Pakistani identity. Pledging a severe response, he said that the perpetrators had shown themselves to be 'cowardly beasts' rather than human beings, and vowed that the state would pursue them relentlessly, leaving them no place to hide.
