Karachi football team robbed at gunpoint on Balochistan highway, players left with no money; security concerns surface

A Karachi football team’s journey to Quetta for a tournament ended in a frightening ordeal after armed men stopped their bus on a highway in Balochistan and robbed the players and officials at gunpoint. The Karachi District West side was travelling to Quetta for the Chief Minister’s Gold Cup when the bus was intercepted between Mastung and Sariab on Monday evening. Around 12 armed men reportedly forced the passengers off the vehicle before taking their phones, cash and other valuables.

According to the news agency PTI, the team manager Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto described the incident, saying the attackers ordered everyone on board to get down before carrying out the robbery. He also said some passengers were struck with the butts of weapons during the incident.

The team eventually reached Quetta and reported what had happened to the Balochistan sports minister. The robbery reportedly left the players without money, prompting the minister to step in and arrange daily allowances for the stranded squad.

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The incident has also raised questions over the team’s decision to travel by road despite security concerns.

Muhammad Azam, secretary of the Sindh Football Association, said the association had decided against sending its own team and had warned Karachi-based clubs about travelling to Quetta by bus or train because of the security situation.

“We didn't send the Sindh team, and we advised all other clubs in Karachi to avoid going to Quetta by bus or train because of the security situation. The Karachi west team still went ahead and what we feared happened,” Azam said.

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He added that the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa football associations had also opted not to send teams to the tournament.

The latest incident comes amid broader security concerns in parts of Balochistan. According to the PTI report, two local cricketers were abducted from Dera Bugti in the days preceding the football team’s ordeal.

The stretch of highway connecting Mastung with Quetta has also been described as a trouble spot, with travellers facing the threat of armed groups operating in the area.