Quetta-Bound Bus was intercepted by armed men near the Murid Shakh area on Motorway M-5!
What was supposed to be a routine overnight journey turned out to be a horrific experience for dozens of passengers travelling on a Quetta-bound bus late on Monday night. The Sadabahar Company coach, which had left Sadiqabad around 8:00 pm, was intercepted by armed men near the Murid Shakh area on Motorway M-5, near the Punjab–Sindh border. The sudden and violent nature of the ambush traumatized the passengers and brought fresh concerns regarding road safety and security in interprovincial travel.
Gunfire, Panic, and Chaos on the Motorway
Police sources said the attackers forcefully intercepted the bus, opening fire and causing its windows to shatter. Men, women, and children were thrown in disarray amid panic inside the coach when gunshots rent the night air. The driver was injured during the attack, which further aggravated the gravity of the situation and left the bus stranded in a precarious position.
Eyewitnesses described the attackers as acting fast and in an apparently coordinated manner-a premeditated assault, not an act of random violence.
18 Passengers Kidnapped at Gunpoint
The most alarming part of the attack on the Quetta-bound bus was that 18 passengers were kidnapped. The attackers, after stopping the bus, identified and segregated the said 18 persons and whisked them away to an unknown location. The identity of the kidnapped passengers and their condition is not known, which adds to the agony of their relatives and family.
Security officials have initiated search and rescue operations, but this lack of immediate information triggers fear and speculation, especially in regions that are already struggling with security challenges.
A Stark Reminder of Security Gaps
This incident has once again exposed serious vulnerabilities in highway and interprovincial transport security. Motorway M-5, considered a vital link between Punjab and Sindh, serves as an important conduit for passengers and commercial movement. Such a large-scale assault on such routes certainly raises extremely pertinent questions about patrol coverage, intelligence coordination, and the preparedness of the response to an emergency.
Incidents of this nature dent the confidence of passengers who depend on road transport due to affordability and accessibility, and make them feel even more insecure.
Government and Law Enforcement Response
The police and security agencies have started investigations to trace the attackers and recover the abducted passengers after cordoning off the area. Checkpoints are being reinforced and intelligence-based operations are in full swing, the officials said. But public expectations are running high as people want to see concrete actions rather than ritual assurances.
Fear, Trauma, and the Human Cost
Beyond headlines and statistics, the Quetta-bound bus attack means deep psychological scars to survivors. The fear experienced during those moments of gunfire and abduction is something passengers will carry long after the incident. Families of the kidnapped passengers continue to wait anxiously for a safe recovery.
A Call for Stronger Road Security
The attack, near the Punjab–Sindh border, is not an isolated criminal act but a wake-up call that passenger safety on national highways has to be enforced as a top priority. If left unaddressed, such acts run the risk of becoming a recurring nightmare for travelers across Pakistan.
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