QUETTA: At least five labourers from Pakistan’s Punjab province were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the border town of Mashkeel in Washuk district, Balochistan, officials said on Sunday.
According to local authorities, the victims were working as barbers and operated a hair salon in Mashkeel, a town near the Pakistan-Iran border.
The attackers opened fire before fleeing the scene. The motive behind the attack has not yet been established.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind strongly condemned the killings, describing the incident as tragic and deeply regrettable.
He said the provincial government had taken immediate notice of the attack and ordered a transparent and impartial investigation.
Rind stated that those responsible for the murder of innocent civilians would not escape the law.
He added that law enforcement agencies had been directed to arrest the perpetrators without delay and bring them to justice.
He said the Balochistan government stands with the bereaved families and will provide them with all possible support.
The spokesperson further stressed that no conspiracy aimed at undermining peace and security in Balochistan would be allowed to succeed.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the lives and property of citizens and said operations against those spreading terror and fear would continue.
Rind added that the provincial government is utilizing all available resources to ensure public safety, deliver justice, and maintain peace across the province
