Members of the Sabri Qawwal troupe and a Karachi bassist were killed in a targeted ambush.

Music industry insiders confirmed Wednesday that three members of a traveling qawwali party were killed and at least 13 others were injured in a devastating armed attack on a passenger bus in the Kalat district of Balochistan.

Late Tuesday night, the group was traveling from Karachi to Quetta for a private performance when unknown attackers opened fire on their car close to Kalat’s Johan neighborhood.

Authorities have referred to the incident as a targeted assault.

Muhammad Asif, a young bassist from Karachi who was gaining popularity in the city’s live music scene, was one of the people killed. The bassist has played for well-known vocalists like Natasha Baig and Rahim Shah.

Longtime members of the qawwali troupe were Muhammad Raza and Muhammad Ahmed Bashir Sabri, the other two deceased.

Although the musical group did not perform directly under the auspices of the late Amjad Sabri, it was said to be connected to his larger circle. The attack also caused damage to the performers’ instruments.

Hassan Ali Effandi, a Karachi-based music producer and curator, told The Express Tribune that Asif in particular had performed for the well-known singer Natasha Baig and had been an active participant in the city’s expanding live performance scene.

Coke Studio star Nimra Rafiq also paid tribute to Asif on Facebook. I’m devastated and shocked to learn about Asif Bhai. I used to play bass with him, and we performed together a lot. May the highest position in Jannah and peace be bestowed upon him by Allah. Ameen.

In a video, Majid Ali Sabri’s older brother Nadeem Sabri, who leads the qawwal party, expressed his sorrow and distress over the horrific attack.

Sabri recounted the terrifying moments before the ambush in a heartfelt video message that has since gone viral.

“Bullets rained down on us just thirty minutes from our destination,” he claimed. “Artists and qawwals are peace ambassadors. I don’t understand what went wrong. Why were we singled out?

Sabri fought back tears as he lamented the group’s loss of three members and mentioned that almost all of the party members had been hurt. “Three priceless souls have passed away. The entire group has been injured, and the attack has even destroyed our equipment, which is how we make a living.

Outraged by the attack, musicians and civil society members have called for more protection for artists who travel across provinces.

According to law enforcement officials, investigations are in progress and a first information report (FIR) has been filed.