Two 'BLA terrorists' linked to barbershop workers' killing in Gwadar arrested

Two suspects have been arrested for alleged involvement in the killing of barbershop workers in Gwadar, Balochistan Home Minister Zia Ullah Langau said on Friday. 

As per a Counter Terrorism Depertment (CTD) official, the suspects belong to banned terrorist outfit, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). 

Earlier this month, seven labourers from Punjab, who worked at a barbershop in the coastal town, were shot dead in their sleep in a gun attack on their residential quarters near the Gwadar Fish Harbour in the Surbandar area by unidentified men. 

“I congratulate all our institutions who fulfilled their responsibility and the government’s orders with their efforts and we have arrested two killers of the Gwadar labourers,” Langau said while addressing a press conference in Quetta.

As per the statements taken from the suspects, the minister said, they were given orders to kill any Punjabi labourer.

He further stated that guns and weapons had been seized from the arrested suspects.

Langau lamented thousands of lives lost due to terrorism in the country, and that the government can’t see its people being killed anymore.

He said that innocent citizens were being targeted in militant attacks, which he said were aimed at deteriorating the peace and security situation in the province.

“Terrorists have nothing to do with our rights. We will go an extra mile for those speaking up for the rights of Balochistan,” Langau added.

The minister said that the federal government would reach out to the Iranian government on cross-border attacks, as the foreign ministry was holding talks over the cross-border attacks from Iran.

He said that the country would not compromise its sovereignty.

Meanwhile, sharing details on the arrest, Balochistan Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Deputy Inspector General Aitzaz Goraya revealed that the two suspects were members of BLA. He said that they were arrested from Gwadar.

As per the police, the slain labourers belonged to district Khanewal and Mian Chunnu of Punjab.

After the attack, the home minister had ordered an investigation into the matter, terming it “open terrorism”.