Terrorists Attack Customs Officers in Quetta; Assistant Collector wounded, Four Policemen martyred – CustomsNews.pk Daily

QUETTA: A brazen terrorist attack on government officials in Quetta’s Syuryab Road Hazard Ganj area on Friday left one officer wounded and four policemen martyred.

The assailants opened fire on a vehicle of the Customs Department. Officials confirmed that a bullet struck the shoulder of Customs Assistant Collector Mr. Saleem Khokhar. He was immediately rushed to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Quetta, where he is undergoing surgery to remove the bullet.

Tragically, four police personnel lost their lives in the same incident, having “embraced martyrdom” while responding to or being caught in the attack.

Mr. Khokhar was travelling to Karachi for the weekend. He was accompanied by Assistant Collector Waseem Feroz, a former Olympian, and a driver. Both Feroz and the driver escaped unharmed.

In a separate but related incident, another officer, Deputy Collector Ali Haider Mosani, was stopped by terrorists while travelling from Quetta to Sukkur with his family. He was reportedly let go by the assailants because he was accompanied by his family members.

The attack has highlighted the severe dangers faced by government officers posted in Balochistan. An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the province is a “very dangerous posting” for Customs officers, especially for those who hail from Karachi or Punjab. Such officers are often specifically targeted by criminal and terrorist groups.

“The practice of posting officers from Karachi and Punjab in Baluchistan is risking their lives,” the official emphasized, pointing to a worrying pattern of violence.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the attack. Security has been heightened in the area as the hunt for the perpetrators continues.

The community and officials are in mourning for the slain policemen, while concerns grow over the safety of civil servants carrying out their duties in the region.