Bodies of slain Balochistan labourers to be laid to rest

QUETTA: Bodies of six labourers, who were shot dead in Kharan district of Balochistan a day earlier, will be returned to their hometown in Okara today (Saturday). 

Two of the six men, Amanat and Javed, were brothers, while others shot dead include Mohammad Shahzad, Muhammad Waqas, Fajhar Rafeeq and Mazhar Fareed. 

All of the deceased belonged to Okara.

A day earlier, unidentified gunmen opened fire at the labourers in Lajjay area, situated southwest of Quetta.

According to AFP, some of the labourers were working on a mobile tower while others were sleeping in tents when gunmen opened fire at them. 

Levies personnel reached the site soon after and launched an investigation into the incident.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the killings. 

Balochistan is home to a long-running insurgency. 

Last month there were two suicide attacks on law-enforcement officials in Quetta.

The first on a Frontier Corps (FC) check post, injuring eight people before they were killed by FC personnel. Soon after, a militant on a motorcycle drove his vehicle into a police truck near the airport. The attack took the lives of six police officers.

In the past, militants have repeatedly targeted labourers from Punjab and Sindh working in various parts of Balochistan. Last year, four labourers from Sindh working on a road project were gunned down.

The labourers had been working on the construction of a road in the Kharan district when suspected militants had opened fire on them.