Gunmen ambushed a vehicle carrying a senior government official in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Monday, killing him and wounding two others before fleeing the scene, according to police and government officials.
Baloch along with District Chairman Malik Jan and his friend Ahmed Jan was on his way to Quetta from Panjgur in a vehicle when the armed assailants opened fire at them near the Kand Umrani area and managed to escape from the scene, say Levies sources.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Sarfraz Bugti, Balochistan’s top elected official, condemned the attack in separate statements and directed authorities to track down and arrest those responsible.
Balochistan has been a hotspot for militant activity, with frequent attacks linked to a long-running insurgency by groups seeking independence for the resource-rich province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan. The Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups also have a presence in the region.
