Pakistan: Four labourers from Punjab province killed in latest Balochistan violence

Quetta, May 14 (IANS) Bodies of at least four labourers, hailing from different parts of Pakistan’s Punjab province were found in Balochistan’s Nushki district on Wednesday, raising alarms over the ongoing targetted killings of Punjab origin citizens in different parts of the province. Officials confirmed the targetted killing of four people, stating that gunmen opened fire on the victims killing them on the spot.

Details revealed that the incident happened in Gulangoor area of Nushki district in Balochistan. The bodies of the victims were shifted to Teaching Hospital in Noshki for medico-legal procedures. Investigation revealed the identities of the victims, confirming that they hailed from different parts of the Punjab province.

“Two of the men were from Pakpattan – Moeen, son of Ghulam Mustafa, and Huzaifa, son of Muhammad Latif. The remaining two, identified as Imran Ali and Irfan Ali, both sons of Maqsood Ahmed, were from Rahim Yar Khan”, said an official from the Teaching Hospital Noshki.

Police authorities have initiated an investigation into the murder. It is suspected that the victims were targetted on the basis of their ethnicity for being from Punjab. The authorities are working to determine if the victims were targetted to broader violence in the region.

Labourers, workers, and government officials from the Punjab province have been targetted by separatist Baloch groups in the recent months in major attacks where identities of the citizens were checked before killing them.

Baloch separatists have in the past blocked the main highway, stopped a passenger bus and checked the identity cards of the passengers, separated the ones hailing from Punjab and killed them. During the recent terror attack on Jaffar Express train, passengers from Punjab were separated from the others and were reportedly killed by the separatists belonging to the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).

The latest incident has raised serious concerns over the worsening security situation in Balochistan, with authorities struggling to ensure security of people from the Punjab province, who come to Balochistan for work.

“We strongly condemn the killings, and offer our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. We want to assure that the Balochistan provincial government is committed to safeguarding the lives and property of its citizens”, said Shahid Rind, spokesperson of Chief Minister Balochistan Sarfaraz Bugti.

“Those responsible for this act of terrorism would be brought to justice. The government will not tolerate attacks on innocent labourers and will take firm action against the perpetrators”, he added.

–IANS

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