Tragic Attack on Karachi’s Qawwali Group in Balochistan: Three Dead, Several Injured

In a shocking act of violence, a bus carrying a renowned qawwali group from Karachi was attacked in the Killa Saifullah district of Balochistan on Thursday evening. The group was en route to Quetta to perform at a wedding celebration when unidentified gunmen opened fire on the vehicle. The bus lost control and plunged off the road after the attack.

The victims included two famous qawwals, father and son, as well as a guitar operator. Among the deceased were Ahmed Hussain Sabri, aged 45, and his young nephew, Raza Ahmed Sabri, both of whom were prominent members of the qawwali team. Muhammad Asif, a guitar operator, was also killed.

The legendary qawwal Maqeed Ali Sabri, who spoke to Urdu News over the phone, confirmed the tragic loss. “My brother Ahmed Hussain Sabri, my nephew Raza Ahmed Sabri, and our guitar operator Muhammad Asif are among the martyrs,” he said. Many other relatives and members of the qawwali team were also injured in the attack.

The Balochistan Police Chief, SP Shehzad Akbar, revealed that the bus, operated by a private company, was targeted on the Quetta-Karachi highway near Nimargh, in Killa Saifullah. The assailants, believed to be terrorists, fired indiscriminately at the bus, causing it to veer off the road and crash.

According to Dr. Nasrullah, the Medical Superintendent of District Headquarters Hospital in Qalat, three bodies and 14 injured individuals were brought to the hospital. Among the injured was a child, and three individuals are said to be in critical condition. After receiving initial treatment, the injured were transferred to hospitals in Quetta.

The bus company owner, Imtiaz Lahri, explained that the bus was meant for Maqeed Ali Sabri’s team, and no other passengers were aboard. “Maajid Ali Sabri and his wife were scheduled to travel by air to Quetta on the same day, while their team had been brought by bus a day earlier for the event.”

The qawwali group members and other musicians aboard the bus were part of a long-standing tradition in Karachi’s music scene. Sabri’s team, which has performed across the country, was en route to bring joy to a wedding celebration, but their journey tragically ended in violence.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, Balochistan has seen an increase in attacks on non-local passengers, particularly those from Punjab, with similar incidents occurring in the past weeks. Just six days ago, nine people were killed in an attack on two buses in the Zhob district.

This tragic event has sent shockwaves across the nation, with many expressing their grief and outrage at the growing wave of violence in the region. The investigation into the attack is ongoing, and authorities are working to bring the perpetrators to justice.