As many as 20 coal miners were killed and seven others were injured when unidentified armed men attacked Junaid Coal Mines area in district Duki of Balochistan province in the wee hours on Friday. Coal engines and machinery were also set ablaze by the attackers.
According to rescue sources, unidentified armed men attacked Junaid Coal Company Mines area in district Duki with sophisticated weapons, including hand grenades and rocket launchers, killing 20 coal miners and causing injuries to seven others. The attackers also torched coal engines and machinery.
The bodies and injured were shifted to a Duki hospital for completion of codal formalities and treatment. Critically injured mine workers were referred to Loralai for further treatment after providing initial treatment at Duki hospital.
The deceased have been identified as Abdul Malik, Muladad, Saeedullah, Jalal Khan, Fazal, Rozi Khan, residents of Zhob, Naseebullah, Samiullah, Abdullah, Naseebullah resident of Killa Saifullah, Malung, Hamdullah and Abdullah, resident of Pishin, Abdul Wali, Ghulam Ali, Hayatullah citizens of Afghanistan, Bismillah resident of Kuchlak, Jalat Khan, resident of Loralai, Samad Khan, resident of Musakhail, Wali Muhammad resident of Sharug Harnai.
Balochistan Chief Minister, Mir Sarfraz Bugti while condemning the killing of innocent labourers in Duki directed the concerned authorities to take strict action against the terrorists.
Terrorists had crossed all the limits of cruelty and barbarism by targeting poor labourers, he said, adding agenda of terrorist was to weaken Pakistan. Terming the terrorists as cowards, he said common poor labourers were being targeted after considering them as soft target. He said that the blood of innocent would not go in vain, adding terrorists would be held accountable. He said terriers would be rooted out to purify the land.
Speaker Balochistan Provincial Assembly, Captain (Retd) Abdul Khaliq Khan Achakzai on Friday condemned the brutal killing of innocent Pushtun mine workers in Duki. In a statement, he said that the brutal murder of innocent Pushtun mine workers was condemnable, adding that such acts were the violation of social justice and basic human rights. He said independence could not be achieved through such cowardly acts, adding that operation against terrorism would continue. Conveying condolences to the bereaved families, he prayed may Allah Almighty rest the departed souls in eternal peace.