Tragedy on the highway: Three musicians slain in Kalat bus ambush in Pakistan

Dubai: Two famous Karachi-based qawwals were among the three people killed by unidentified gunmen in Kalat on Quetta-Karachi highway.

In a brutal ambush, believed to be an act of terrorism on Wednesday, masked gunmen opened fire on a passenger bus, killing three people and injuring 13 others. The targeted attack occurred just days after another deadly assault in Zhob area of Balochistan, deepening fears about the safety of civilians in Balochistan.

Wedding performance

The slain musicians Ahmed Hussain Sabri and his son Ahmed Raza Sabri were part of the famous Sabri qawwali group headed to Quetta for a wedding performance. A third musician was also killed in the attack.

The group had been hired to perform at a private wedding in Quetta, and most of the victims were part of the same travelling troupe. The wounded, several in critical condition, have been moved to Quetta for advanced medical care.

Planned ambush

According to security officials, the attackers were lying in wait on both sides of the road and used automatic weapons to strike the vehicle. “They halted the bus and opened indiscriminate fire,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Shahzad Akbar.

“This was a cold-blooded attack on unarmed civilians,” he added.

The injured include musicians and support crew, all from Karachi, as well as the bus driver. Many sustained gunshot wounds to the head and upper body, according to hospital staff, Dawn news reproted.

Balochistan authorities respond

Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind confirmed the incident, stating, “This was a coordinated and premeditated attack. A search operation is ongoing, and we are pursuing all leads.”

Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti condemned the assault, calling it a direct strike on Pakistan’s cultural soul. “These terrorists once targeted people based on identity. Now they aree attacking anyone, including artists. This is a war against every Pakistani,” he wrote on X.

A cultural loss

The assassination of the Sabri qawwals, part of one of Pakistan’s respected Sufi music lineages, is being mourned nationwide. Cultural and music communities have decried the violence and called on the government to do more to protect artists, especially in conflict-affected areas.

“The voice of peace and love has been silenced with bullets,” said a fellow musician in Karachi.