QUETTA: At least six labourers were killed when terrorists associated with Fitna al Hindustan attacked on them while working in an orchard in Mastung district of Balochistan on Friday. Two of them were later succumbed to injuries.
Three others were also injured in the attack that took place at the Geet area of Khadkocha, where the workers were working in an orchard, when they were come under attack of the Indian sponsored militants. Security sources say rescue teams shifted the bodies and injured workers to a nearby hospital, said DSP Rafique Hamza in a statement.
Rescue officials identified three of the injured as Ali Raza Mengal, Naseebullah Abro and Khalid Hussain. The victims were working as labourers at the orchard, officials said.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was involved in the attack, according to security sources.
The incident comes amid a series of attacks and kidnappings targeting workers and development-related activities in Balochistan, where India-sponsored militants groups, also known as Fitna al Hindustan, have repeatedly opposed state-backed infrastructure and public development projects.
Last month, authorities recovered the bodies of six non-local workers who had been abducted from Nasirabad in Kech district, near Turbat, according to police.
Militants of the BLA attacked the area on July 27 and killed a worker identified as Javed at the scene, while abducting six other workers and taking them to an undisclosed location. Police later confirmed that the bodies of all six abducted workers had been recovered.
According to police sources, four of the victims were from Punjab and two were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The victims from Punjab were identified as Muhammad Arshad of Lodhran, Muhammad Taimur, Muhammad Wazir and Muhammad Parvez of Bahawalpur. The other two victims were Muhammad Amjad from Buner district and Muhammad Yahya from Swabi district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The workers had been employed on various development projects in the area, police said.
The latest attack highlights the continuing security challenges facing workers involved in development and construction activities in Balochistan. Terror groups, particularly the BLA, have carried out attacks on infrastructure, security personnel and civilians, while also targeting people they accuse of supporting the state.
Authorities have repeatedly said such attacks are aimed at disrupting development, discouraging investment and creating divisions between local communities and the state.
Also Read: Timeline: Major Attacks on Non-Local Workers in Balochistan in 2026
Balochistan, meanwhile, remains strategically important because of its mineral resources, major infrastructure projects and access to the Arabian Sea. Security officials have maintained that protecting workers and development projects is essential to ensuring economic activity and long-term development in the province.
