In a tragic incident that unfolded overnight in the restive south-western Baluchistan province of Pakistan, six construction workers met a grim fate at the hands of unidentified gunmen, according to local police reports on Saturday. Police officer Hidayatullah Dashti disclosed that the assailants opened fire on a group of eight construction laborers in Turbat, situated approximately 606 kilometers south of Quetta, the provincial capital. Heartbreakingly, only two of the workers managed to survive the ordeal and are currently receiving medical treatment, according to media reports.
The targeted laborers were engaged in a private construction project within the city of Turbat, a community left shaken by the violent act. As of now, no individual or group has come forward to claim responsibility for this heinous attack, leaving investigators with a perplexing mystery to unravel.
This incident casts a grim shadow over Baluchistan, a region that has grappled with a protracted low-level insurgency spearheaded by the Baluchistan Liberation Army and various separatist factions striving for autonomy away from the central government in Islamabad. Notably, Baluch separatist groups have, on several occasions in the past, singled out individuals from Punjab, with Punjabi and Sindhi workers falling victim to similar brutal attacks.
Despite official declarations of quelling the insurgency, violence continues to smolder in the province, underscoring the persistent challenges faced by the government in restoring peace and stability to this turbulent region. Furthermore, it is essential to note that the area remains susceptible to the presence of Islamic militant elements, contributing to the overall complexity of the security landscape in Baluchistan.
