Quetta, Sep 29 (IANS): Pakistan's restive Balochistan was ensnared in fresh violence on Sunday with police reporting that armed men abducted more than 20 labourers in Musakhail, hours after seven labourers were shot dead in Panjgur, reports said.
The assailants opened fire on the labourers’ camp, which was associated with a gas company, and set eight bulldozers on fire before taking the labourers with them, Geo News reported.
This incident follows closely behind a separate attack in the Panjgur district, where seven labourers were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in a residential area.
According to police, the labourers were staying in a house located in the Khuda-e-Abadan area of Panjgur when the assailants stormed in and opened fire, resulting in seven fatalities and one injury. The Deputy Commissioner of Panjgur confirmed the tragic event, noting the attackers' brazen assault on the residents.
Media reports indicate that the deceased and the injured were transported to Panjgur District Hospital. Law enforcement agencies have initiated a search operation to locate those responsible for the brutal attacks.
The incidents in Musakhel and Panjgur highlight the significant security issues plaguing Balochistan, a province that has endured a wave of terrorist attacks, similar to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as the country faces an increase in such incidents in recent months.
Last month, 23 passengers were killed after being forcibly removed from their buses and trucks in the Rarasham area of Musakhail district. A report from the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) noted that in the second quarter of the year, the country recorded 380 deaths linked to violence, along with 220 injuries involving civilians, security forces, and outlaws.
Both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack in Panjgur. They expressed their condolences to the families of the victims.
"Attacking innocent labourers and civilians is a heinous and despicable act," President Zardari said. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating all forms of terrorism from the nation.