At least nine people died after armed gunmen, who were travelling in a bus, were abducted and shot dead in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Thursday, media reports said.

The incident occurred in the Sur-Dakai area, located close to border between Balochistan’s Zhob and Loralai districts.

“Nine people abducted from both coaches have been killed, and their bodies have been recovered,” Zhob Assistant Comm­issioner Naveed Alam told Dawn News.

Shahid Rind, the Balo­chistan government’s spo­kes­­person, said security forces launched operations to rescue remaining kidnapped passengers.

Sources told Dawn News that two passenger coaches en route to Punjab were intercepted in the Sur-Dakai area near the N-70 highway, close to Dab.

The armed group of men reportedly blocked the road and stopped the two vehicles.

“They dragged out 10 passengers — seven from one coach and three from the other — and took them away (to an unknown place),” a surviving passenger told Levies as quoted by the Pakistani newspaper.

“I don’t know what they did to them, but I heard gunfire as we were leaving," the passenger said.

After the abduction, the attackers allowed the bus to leave the spot.

Sources said the attackers targeted those people who were from Punjab.

According to reports, the Balochistan Liberation Front has claimed responsibility for the incident.