GWADAR: Unknown armed men set fire to several vehicles, including gas bowsers, after blocking the Makran Coastal Highway (N-10) between Pasni and Ormara in Gwadar district late on Monday night.

Officials said that a large group of armed men barricaded the Makola area of the highway and stopped passing vehicles for inspection. They seized several vehicles, including empty LPG tankers on their way back to Iran from Karachi, and set them ablaze.

`Seven vehicles were torched, including six gas tankers and a Highway Police vehicle,` SSP Highway Police Hafeez Baloch confirmed. He added that three tankers were completely burnt, while three others were damaged.

The assailants also opened fire on three tankers, puncturing their tyres, before launching an attack on the Highway Police.

During the attack, the gunmen raided a Highway Police checkpoint, snactched official weapons and disarmed patrol-ling officers. The attackers remained on the highway for over three hours.

`The armed men also set fire to a Highway Police vehicle before fleeing, SSP Gwadar said.

Authorities revealed that the gas tankers had supplied LPG to Karachi and were en route back to Iran when they were targeted.

Upon receiving reports of the attack, police forces from Pasni and Ormara rushed to the area, prompting the armed men to escape.

Security has been tightened along the highway, and a search operation is underway to track down the assailants.