MASTUNG — A sessions judge and his security guard were killed Thursday after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle while they were traveling through Mastung.
The attack occurred on the main highway, a route frequently plagued by security concerns. The judge, identified as Zulfiqar Bareach, was heading toward his destination when armed men intercepted his vehicle and sprayed it with automatic gunfire. Both the judge and his guard died at the scene.
Local police confirmed the incident, but they provided few details on the identity of the attackers. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the ambush.
The ambush highlights the persistent security vacuum in Balochistan, where judicial officers and government officials often find themselves targets of militant violence. The highway, linking Quetta to the rest of the province, has seen a spike in targeted killings over the last few months, forcing authorities to weigh stricter travel protocols for high-profile figures.
Senior police officials reached the site shortly after the shooting to cordon off the area. They have launched a search operation, though the attackers managed to slip away into the rugged terrain surrounding the highway before law enforcement could intercept them.
The targeted nature of the killing suggests a calculated strike rather than a random act of violence. For the legal community in Balochistan, this is another brutal reminder of the risks associated with serving in the province’s lower courts.
Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the attack, ordering an immediate report from the provincial police chief. He promised the perpetrators would be tracked down, though families of the victims and local lawyers are already questioning the government’s ability to protect those tasked with upholding the law.
As the bodies were shifted to the hospital for post-mortem examinations, the legal fraternity across the province began discussing a boycott of court proceedings to protest the lack of security for judges.
