Five labourers gunned down in Balochistan province

Militants gunned down five laborers at a construction site in Pakistan’s Balochistan, a provincial official said on Tuesday.  The labourers, all belonging to the Punjab province, were killed in Saranan town in Pishin district of Balochistan on Monday morning. The bodies of these laborers have been sent to their hometowns in Punjab, Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the Balochistan Government, said.

Arrangements were made to transport their bodies for burial in their respective villages in Ahmedpur, Sharqia and Bahawalpur.

Security forces launched a search for the gunmen, he said. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the killing of the laborers. “Those shedding the blood of innocent laborers deserve no leniency,” Bugti said in a statement issued by his office. “The cowardly acts of terrorists cannot weaken the provincial Government’s resolve.” Militants have targeted the Saranan town since last week and a few days ago, had carried out an attack on a police station in the town. They fled with guns and ammunition and two vehicles at the police station.

Banned Baloch insurgent groups have frequently carried out terror attacks on workers and laborers belonging to other provinces and working in Balochistan.

In July, five barbers from Multan were shot dead in Mashkail town of Balochistan when armed men on bikes opened fire on them at their barber shop.