Armed men torch seven vehicles in Gwadar

QUETTA: Unknown armed men torched seven vehicles — six gas bowsers and a Highway Police vehicle — after blocking Pasni-Ormara road in Gwadar district late Monday night.

According to officials, a large group of armed men blocked the road at Makolah area and started checking vehicles passing through there. They stopped multiple vehicles, including gas bowsers transporting LPG from Iran, before setting them on fire.

“Seven vehicles — six gas bowsers and a Highway Police vehicle — were torched,” said SSP Highway Police Hafeez Baloch. He added the attackers burnt three gas bowsers and severely damaged three other vehicles. The bowsers were returning to Iran after supplying LPG to Karachi. The assailants also opened fire on three bowsers, bursting their tyres.

During the attack, the armed men also targeted a Highway Police patrol unit, ransacked a police post, and looted official weapons before fleeing the scene. “The attackers stormed the Highway Police check-post, took away official weapons, and later set a police vehicle on fire,” said the SSP Gwadar.

Following receipt of information, security forces from Pasni and Ormara rushed to the scene, however, the armed men had already escaped. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.