Quetta: A sharp surge in targeted drive by shootings across Balochistan’s provincial capital has left law enforcement agencies on high alert following multiple fatalities in recent weeks.
In the latest incident on Monday night, two men were gunned down by unidentified armed assailants in the Sariab area. According to police officials, the attackers opened indiscriminate fire as the victims were passing near Sheikh Zayed Hospital, killing both individuals on the spot. Authorities revealed that the deceased were close associates of Baseer Achakzai, a former military commander who relocated to Quetta several years ago.
This attack follows another fatal shooting in the Kuchlak Bypass area, roughly 30 kilometres outside Quetta. In that instance, motorcycle-borne gunmen opened fire on a man hailing from Helmand, killing him instantly before fleeing the scene. Police shifted the victim's body to Civil Hospital Quetta for medico-legal formalities.
The recent drive-by attacks point to a broader pattern of localised security challenges. Police reports confirm that another former military commander was murdered in Quetta last month, while four individuals lost their lives in similar targeted strikes just two weeks prior. Law enforcement agencies have launched formal investigations to identify the perpetrators and establish the motives behind the escalation in violence.
