According to the latest Pakistan news, the gunmen attacked the coal mine’s workers’ quarters in Duki district located in Balochistan using heavy weapons like grenades and rocket launchers. This attack took place late Thursday night. The attack claimed the lives of at least 20 miners with an additional seven suffering injuries.
Among the deceased were four Afghan nationals, while others from Pashto-speaking areas within Balochistan. Three more Afghan workers were among the injured.
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According to the latest Pakistan news, On Thursday night, a group of armed men stormed the Junaid Coal Company’s mines in the Duki district of Balochistan. The attackers rounded up the workers before opening fire on them.
In addition to firearms, they employed heavy weapons such as rockets and grenades to attack the site.
The majority of the victims were miners from Pashtun-speaking regions of Balochistan with three Afghan nationals among the dead.
The attack claimed the lives of 20 miners and left seven others severely injured. Local shop owners in the region closed their businesses in protest, declaring a daylong strike to express their outrage and grief over the killings.
While no group has officially claimed responsibility for the attack, suspicion has fallen on the Baloch Liberation Army.
Authorities suspect that the group is attempting to destabilize Pakistan in the run-up to the SCO summit.
Balochistan is rich in natural resources particularly oil, gas and minerals. Despite its wealth in resources, the province remains one of Pakistan’s poorest regions.
This disparity has fueled tensions between the local population and the federal government in Islamabad. Separatist groups in Balochistan including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) have waged an insurgency for decades.
They accuse the central government of exploiting the province’s resources while neglecting the region’s development and marginalizing its people.
Over the years, separatist groups have carried out numerous attacks targeting civilians, security personnel and even foreign nationals working in the region.
The insurgents demand greater autonomy and independence for Balochistan, arguing that its wealth should be used to benefit its own people rather than other provinces particularly Punjab.
According to the latest Pakistan news, the Pakistani military has launched several operations to quell the insurgency, but the violence persists.
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There has been a noticeable escalation in attacks in Balochistan. For instance, in August, over 50 people were killed in multiple attacks orchestrated by separatist groups including the killing of 23 passengers who were taken from buses and vehicles and shot in Musakhail district.
The attack on the miners comes just days before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, which is scheduled to take place in Islamabad on October 15-16, 2024.
The summit will bring together leaders from several countries including Chinese representation. Given the attack’s proximity to the summit, it concerns about Pakistan’s ability to secure the event and protect foreign dignitaries.
The Ministry of Interior has already alerted the country’s provinces to increase security measures, warning that both separatist groups and the Pakistani Taliban could be planning further attacks.
The attack on the miners occurred just days after a suicide bombing outside Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, in which two Chinese nationals were killed.
According to the latest Pakistan news, this attack was claimed by the BLA. Thousands of Chinese nationals are currently working in Pakistan as part of Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which includes major infrastructure projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The BLA has repeatedly targeted Chinese nationals and projects.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the killings and vowed to eliminate terrorism from the country. Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, condemned the attack, calling the perpetrators “cruel terrorists” with an agenda to destabilize Pakistan.
He promised that the killings would be avenged. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also vowed that those responsible for the massacre would be brought to justice, stating that they would not escape the grip of the law.
The province’s mineral wealth particularly in districts like Reko Diq, has attracted foreign investment including interest from Saudi Arabia.
According to the latest Pakistan news, On the day of the attack, Pakistani and Saudi businessmen signed 27 memorandums of understanding valued at $2 billion for investment in various sectors including mining.
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