Two young men from the Christian community were shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Shamsabad area of Mastung on Wednesday, prompting protests that led to the closure of the Quetta–Karachi National Highway.
According to initial reports, the victims were identified as Ayush Michael, 21, and Sagar, 24. Local sources said the two were on their way to play cricket when unidentified gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on them in the Shamsabad area.
Both men died at the scene, according to reports.
Following the incident, relatives of the victims, joined by women, children and other members of the Christian community, staged a protest outside Nawab Ghaus Bakhsh Raisani Hospital. Protesters placed the bodies on the road and blocked the Quetta–Karachi National Highway, bringing traffic in both directions to a halt.
Witnesses said long queues of vehicles formed on either side of the highway as the protest continued.
Police and other law-enforcement personnel arrived at the scene after receiving reports of the attack and launched an investigation. The assailants reportedly fled the area following the shooting.
The religious extremist group Islamic State Pakistan Province (ISPP) later claimed responsibility for the attack through its affiliated media channels. The group has previously been linked by analysts and security researchers to attacks in Mastung and other parts of Balochistan targeting civilians and religious minorities.
Authorities said to have launched an investigation into the incident. Officials had not publicly commented on the group’s claim of responsibility at the time of reporting, and no arrests had been announced.