Islamabad: At least seven Punjabi labourers were shot dead by suspected militants in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Sunday. According to police, these labourers were working at a construction site in Khuda-e-Abadan area of Panjgur city. The victims were residents of Multan district of Punjab province and were sleeping in a room after work.
The attackers were armed with automatic weapons and suddenly entered the premises, where they started firing indiscriminately. Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari said that seven labourers died on the spot and another was injured in the attack. The deceased have been identified as Sajid, Shafiq, Fayaz, Iftikhar, Salman, Khalid and Allah Wasia. No organisation claimed responsibility for the attack, but Panjgur SSP Fazil Shah Bukhari termed it a terrorist attack and said that an investigation has been launched into the matter. Pakistan President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif have condemned the attack. The prime minister also sought a report from Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti and assured that all possible steps would be taken to end terrorism.
The attack is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Punjabi workers in Balochistan. The militants allege that Punjabi-dominated establishments are exploiting Balochistan's mineral wealth, a claim denied by authorities. Earlier in August, in a similar incident, insurgents killed 23 people in Musakhel district when they shot passengers after they were identified and made to alight from trucks and buses.
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