Eleven miners killed and several others were injured in an attack on a coal field in Mach area of Balochistan. The victims belong to the Hazara community.
Police says gunmen abducted miners working in the Mach coal field and took them to nearby hills, where they were shot dead.
Police said that more than 10 miners were also injured in the firing, many of whom are in critical condition. The injured were taken to Mach Hospital.
Heavy contingents of police, administration and Fronter Crops (FC) has reached the spot after the incident.
Authorities have not yet provided further details about the incident, but sources say the men belong to the Hazara community, and were allegedly killed by religious extremists after identification.
Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said that security forces had surrounded the area and started the investigation. “we will bring the terrorists to justice,” he vowed.
It may be recalled that in Balochistan, members of the Hazara community have been targeted in past too by religious extremists through target killings and bomb blasts, in which thousands of people have been killed so far.
Today’s attack has attracted widespread condemnation in Balochistan and social media users are posting against the “gruesome murders”.
Protestors block major highway against Hazara coal miners’ killing
Protestors have staged a sit-in protest along with the dead bodies of Hazara coal miners, blocking a major national highway in Balochistan.
According to details, relatives of deceased Hazara coal miners, who were killed today by unknown assailants in Geshtari area of Mach, have blocked the N-65 National Highway. The protestors have placed the dead bodies on the main road, blocking the Quetta to Sukkur highway for all kinds of traffic. The agitated protestors have also burnt tyres on the road.
Protests have also erupted in multiple areas of capital city Quetta. All roads near Hazara Town have been blocked by angry protestors, who are chanting slogans against the authorities.
Hazara Decmoratic Party has strongly condemned the incident and has vowed to take the issue to the floors of provincial and national parliaments.
Earlier on Sunday, 11 coalminers were killed by unknown assailants in Geshtri area of Mach, Balochistan. Sources say the men belong to the Hazara community, and were allegedly killed by religious extremists after identification.
The head of Baloch Liberation Army, Bashir Zeb Baloch, has alleged that Pakistani secretive agencies are “directly involved” in today’s attack on Shia Hazaras in Mach.
Members of the Hazara community have been targeted in past too by religious extremists through targeted killings and bomb blasts, in which hundreds of people have lost their lives.
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