ISLAMABAD: In a tragic incident near Loralai, Balochistan, where passengers were forcibly taken off a bus and executed, one man previously declared dead was found to be alive.
According to a media report, the man was identified as Irfan, a resident of Dera Ghazi Khan. Due to a misidentification during the recovery of bodies, Irfan was mistakenly presumed dead.
Commandant Border Military Police Dera Ghazi Khan, Asad Chandia, who oversaw the transfer of victims’ bodies from the Balochistan border to Punjab, confirmed that Irfan was among the 12 passengers abducted by armed assailants.
However, Irfan managed to escape unharmed. Instead of returning to the bus, he took an alternate vehicle and reached his native village, Wasti Bozdar, in Tehsil Taunsa Sharif.
His family reported that he is currently in a state of severe trauma.
A Rescue 1122 employee, Kashif—who also hails from the same village—told the media that Irfan had hidden his mobile phone and identity card to save his life.
During the identification process, his name was missing from the official list of victims.
As a result, authorities mistakenly identified another victim, Sheikh Majid, as Irfan.
The confusion was cleared when local authorities contacted Irfan’s family for final body confirmation.
They revealed that Irfan had safely returned home but was unwilling to speak about the incident in detail.
The revelation has raised serious concerns regarding the accuracy of initial reports and the victim identification process.
The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is reportedly responsible for the Loralai attack, which claimed the lives of nine passengers and triggered nationwide condemnation and concern over passenger safety in the region.
Speaking to the media, Deputy Commissioner Dera Ghazi Khan, Usman Khalid, stated that local authorities do not permit public transport to enter Balochistan at night to avoid such tragic events.
However, this deadly attack occurred in broad daylight, raising alarming questions about the safety of travelers who consider daytime travel to be secure.
He further added that in December 2023, the bodies of six barbers from Waziristan were received in Dera Ghazi Khan, followed by three more victims from Balochistan in January 2024.
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While the families of the six barbers have received government compensation, the relatives of the three truck drivers—Ahmed Rasheed Zahrani and brothers Syed Ali Haider and Syed Kumail Haider—are still awaiting financial aid, despite formal requests submitted by the district administration to the provincial government.
