Seven labourers killed as gunmen storm house in Balochistan's Panjgur

• Labourers hailed from different areas of Punjab. 
• They were residing in house in Khuda-i-Abadan area.
• Search operation launched to track down perpetrators.

QUETTA: At least seven labourers were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in a house in Balochistan's Panjgur district, police said on late Saturday.

Police detailed that the labourers, hailing from different areas of Punjab, were residing in a house in the district's Khuda-i-Abadan area, where the incident occurred and left seven people dead and one wounded.

The Panjgur deputy commissioner also confirmed the gruesome incident and said that the attackers barged into the house and opened fire at the residents.

Police officials told the media that the deceased and injured persons were shifted to Panjgur District Hospital.

Meanwhile, a search operation has been launched to track down the perpetrators of the brutal attack.

Condolences 

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the incident, emphasising effective action against the terrorist elements who targeted the labourers.

"Targeting innocent laborers and citizens is a very brutal and reprehensible act," the president said while expressing his condolences to the families who suffered the loss. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the attacks on workers and laborers should be condemned as much as possible.

Expressing his condolences, the premier sought a report of the incident from Balochistan's chief minister. He demanded that all the culprits should be brought to justice.

"We are determined to root out all forms of terrorism from the land of Pakistan," he emphasised. 

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also condemned the firing incident and offered her grievances to the families of the victims. 

Last month, at least 23 passengers travelling to their destinations were killed after being offloaded from buses and trucks in the Rarasham area of Balochistan's Musakhail.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ayub Achakzai provided details of the incident, stating that armed men had blocked the inter-provincial highway to carry out the massacre.

Speaking on Geo News programme "Geo Pakistan," Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind revealed that militants launched a coordinated assault on multiple (two to three) fronts but were met with fierce resistance from security forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

However, he added that the terrorists used the cover of darkness to carry out the Musakhail attack, during which they dragged the passengers down from the buses and shot them after identity check.

Underscoring the provincial government's resolve to tackle the law and order situation, Rind said that Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had called a meeting where "important decisions" would be made.

“To find a way out of this situation, a holistic approach is required from the political government and security forces, with support from all schools of thought,” he said.

Pakistan has witnessed a spike in terrorism-related incidents since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Most terror activities are reported in provinces bordering the neighbouring country — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) report, during the second quarter of the current year, the country witnessed 380 violence-linked fatalities and 220 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws.

The report stated that these casualties resulted from as many as 240 incidents involving terror attacks and counter-terrorism operations.

Owing to the security situation, the federal cabinet in June this year approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, a reinvigorated national counter-terrorism campaign following the Central Apex Committee's recommendations under the National Action Plan to root out terrorism.