6 labourers martyred, 2 injured in Turbat attack

QUETTA/MULTAN: Six labourers were martyred while asleep and two wounded after gunmen targeted them in an overnight attack in Turbat, officials said.

According to police, unidentified gunmen targeted the labourers sleeping in an under-construction house. The deceased, who included four family members, among them two brothers, have been identified as Rizwan, Shehbaz, Waseem, Shafiq Ahmed, Mohammad Naeem and Sikander. Ghulam Mustafa and Tauheed were injured in the attack.

Expressing condolences to the victims’ families, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar condemned the “heinous act” and reaffirmed the government’s resolve against terrorism. “Deeply saddened to hear about the terrorist attack on innocent labourers in Turbat. My heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families. We condemn this heinous act and stand united against terrorism,” the premier said on his X account.

Caretaker Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki has also expressed sorrow over the deadly incident and sought a report. He directed to utilise all means to apprehend the perpetrators of the attack.

Multan Commissioner Amir Khatak said the Balochistan government had started arrangements to shift the bodies to Shujaabad, Multan. Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has taken notice of the incident and directed to contact the Balochistan government for shifting the bodies.

The Balochistan government spokesman said his government had suspended the SP concerned. On the instructions of the caretaker chief minister, government helicopters have reached Turbat to shift the bodies. A statement issued by the Government of Balochistan said that through this incident, a conspiracy has been made to create hatred between the brotherly provinces of Punjab and Balochistan that will not succeed anyway. The elements involved in the incident will be dealt with an iron hand.