Five labourers lost their lives after unidentified gunmen opened fire at shops in the Mashkail area of Washuk district, Balochistan, on Sunday. The victims, all residents of various parts of Punjab, were targeted while working at these shops before the attackers fled the scene.
Authorities are completing legal formalities before sending the bodies back to the victims’ hometowns. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched, and security forces have cordoned off the area, initiating a search operation to apprehend those responsible.
In a significant development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, describing it as a brutal act of terrorism. Expressing deep condolences to the families of the deceased, he called the targeting of innocent, unarmed labourers an extremely barbaric and cowardly act that warrants the strongest denunciation.
The Prime Minister attributed the violence to militants identified by the government as Fitna al-Hindustan. He emphasized that those committing such crimes against humanity deserve no mercy, highlighting that these militants aim to advance a nefarious agenda by attacking civilians.
PM Shehbaz reaffirmed that such cowardly acts would not weaken the nation’s determination to eliminate terrorism. He assured that the government and security forces remain fully committed to eradicating terrorism and safeguarding the lives and property of all citizens.
Similarly, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the killings, calling them the brutal murder of unarmed and innocent labourers. He stressed that the victims were not only Punjabi labourers but citizens of Pakistan, hardworking brothers whose deaths strike at the unity, Constitution, and integrity of the country.
Bugti stated that the perpetrators revealed their sinister motives by targeting unarmed civilians, clarifying that their aim was not a legitimate struggle but to spread terrorism, hatred, bloodshed, and instability across Pakistan. He vowed that anti-state elements and their supporters would not be spared and that every drop of Pakistani blood would be accounted for.
The Chief Minister further pledged that all involved in terrorism would face justice and that operations against those challenging the state’s authority would be intensified.
Security sources blamed the group Fitna al-Hindustan for the attack, noting that the militants have increasingly targeted civilians and other soft targets following setbacks in operations by security forces.
