A football team from Karachi faced a harrowing ordeal on Monday evening when their bus was intercepted by armed insurgents while traveling through Balochistan. The squad, representing Karachi District West, was en route to Quetta to participate in the Chief Minister's Gold Cup tournament when they were targeted on the highway between Mastung and Sariab.
According to the team manager, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the group of approximately a dozen armed men forced all passengers to disembark from the vehicle. During the encounter, the assailants seized mobile phones, cash, and various other personal valuables from the players. Bhutto further reported that some of the passengers were physically assaulted with the butts of the attackers' weapons during the robbery.
Official Response and Security Concerns
Upon their eventual arrival in Quetta, the team reported the incident to the Balochistan sports minister. In a swift response to the players' plight, the minister provided the team with daily allowances to cover their immediate needs after they were left without funds.
The incident has highlighted significant security concerns regarding travel in the region. Muhammad Azam, secretary of the
Regional Security Context
The highway connecting Mastung to Quetta has increasingly become a site of concern, with reports indicating it has become a frequent location for insurgent groups to target travelers. This latest robbery follows other recent security incidents in the province, including the abduction of two local cricketers from Dera Bugti just days prior.
