QUETTA: Unknown armed men attacked a construction company camp in Khuzdar district of Balochistan, abducting 18 workers and setting several vehicles and machinery on fire.
The incident is the second major incident of abduction of workers in the province within a week, which has further increased security concerns in the area.
According to officials, the tragic incident took place on Thursday night in the Kalidi area of Nal, about 80 kilometers from Khuzdar. Dozens of armed men first blocked the highway and stopped traffic and then stormed the camp and crushing plant of a private construction company. The company was working on the construction of a major road connecting Khuzdar with Basima area of Washik district, which is part of the province’s development projects.
Giving details, the Levies in-charge of the area, Ali Akbar, said that the attackers attacked the crushing plant and set fire to the vehicles and machinery there, causing serious damage to at least 8 vehicles, including heavy machinery and transport vehicles.
He added that the armed men forcibly took the workers present in the camp with them and fled, most of the kidnapped workers are from Sindh province, who had come to Balochistan from remote areas in search of employment.
Zulfiqar Ahmed, manager of construction company D-Blood, confirmed that the armed men initially kidnapped 20 workers, but later two workers were released. The remaining 18 workers are still missing and efforts are underway to recover them. Zulfiqar Ahmed said that the attack will severely affect the company’s work and has spread panic among the employees.
Security forces took immediate action as soon as the incident was reported. Levies, Frontier Corps (FC) and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel reached the spot, cordoned off the area, and started an investigation.
Officials said that a search operation has also been launched to find the kidnapped workers, in which the help of local tribal elders is also being sought. However, no trace of the workers has been found so far and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, Baloch armed groups are active in the area, which have attacked construction companies, roads and other development projects in the past.
These groups have often been involved in anti-government activities and target non-local workers, whom they call part of external interference.
The incident reflects the deteriorating security situation in Balochistan. This is the second serious incident of labor kidnapping in just a week. A few days ago, unknown gunmen had kidnapped 9 construction workers in the Dasht area of Mastung, who are still missing, bringing the number of kidnapped workers to 27 in a few days.
These incidents have spread concern among thousands of workers and companies working in the province, and there is increasing pressure on the authorities to tighten security measures.
The Balochistan government has condemned the incidents and promised to arrest the perpetrators soon and bring them to justice. However, locals say that such attacks are an attempt to sabotage the province’s economic development and a comprehensive strategy is needed to stop them. Investigations are ongoing and more details are awaited.