Dozens Abducted in Pakistan Bus Attack as Security Forces Launch Rescue Operation

Dozens Abducted in Pakistan Bus Attack as Security Forces Launch Rescue Operation
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Armed assailants abducted dozens of passengers from a bus travelling toward Quetta, prompting Pakistani security forces to launch rescue operations, Khaama Press reported. Police said around 15 gunmen ambushed the bus late Monday, injuring the driver and kidnapping 25 passengers during the attack.

Security forces later tracked the attackers to the Katcha area along the Punjab–Sindh border, where an exchange of fire led to the rescue of 10 hostages. Two suspected attackers were wounded, while efforts to free the remaining abductees are ongoing, officials said.

Authorities have sealed all entry and exit routes to the Katcha belt, a riverine region along the Indus River, to prevent the kidnappers from relocating the hostages. Police said the attackers halted the bus, opened fire, shattered its windows and forcibly removed passengers. Women on board were not harmed.

The Katcha region is known for the presence of heavily armed criminal gangs, with frequent reports of kidnappings for ransom, highway robberies and violent crime across parts of northern Sindh and southern Punjab.

The incident comes amid heightened security concerns and broader regional tensions, as Pakistan has repeatedly accused armed groups operating from Afghanistan of exploiting border vulnerabilities. Afghan authorities have denied the claims, though recent border incidents and diplomatic strains have raised concerns over stability in the region.