In a shocking incident, a bus traveling from Quetta was intercepted by armed assailants who forced nine passengers off the bus and mercilessly gunned them down, police said.

The gruesome incident is a reminder of similar executions carried out in the past in Balochistan.

The bodies of the victims were discovered beneath a bridge in the mountainous area of Noshki, with gunshot wounds inflicted on various parts of their bodies, Noshki SSP Allah Bux said.

The deceased individuals have been identified as residents of Mandi Bahauddin and Gujranwala, said the police officer.

The culprits responsible for this heinous act stopped the bus, abducted the passengers, and subsequently executed them by firing multiple rounds.

In a separate incident gunmen fired shots at a vehicle in the Sultan Charhai area, killing two people and injuring five, said the SSP.

The brother of Balochistan MPA Ghulam Dastgir was among the injured.

The wounded victims have been rushed to nearby medical facilities for treatment.

Expressing his condolences, the Chief Minister of Balochistan condemned the killings of innocent passengers in Noshki and extended his sympathies to the bereaved families.

He vowed that those responsible for the incident would not be granted any leniency, as this act of murder against the passengers is an inhumane and unforgivable crime.