11 colliers slain in Harnai bomb attack
An injured labourer is brought to hospital in Quetta following the Harnai blast. Photo: AFP
At least 11 labourers were killed and six others sustained injuries, when a vehicle they were travelling in hit an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in the Shahrag area of Harnai district of Balochistan on Friday, official said.
The terrorist attack hit the vehicle as the coal miner workers were travelling to a market in Harnai district. The injured were rushed to the Harnai District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, where emergency was declared. Authorities launched an investigation and are collecting evidence from the scene.
A group of labourers were travelling to a market in Harnai district when their vehicle was hit by the blast, local government official Saleem Tareen told AFP, adding that it was "an IED blast". No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
In a statement in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the killing of labourer in Balochistan and reaffirmed his "commitment to actively working towards eradicating the menace of terrorism from the country".
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti ordered an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the incident and emphasised that a rigorous operation would continue against elements seeking to disrupt the peace of Balochistan.
Bugti underscored that the government was taking every possible measures to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the province. "Terrorists who target innocent civilians do not deserve any sympathy, and the Balochistan government will leave no stone unturned in bringing them to justice."
Bugti strongly condemned the attack. He assured that all-out efforts would be made to provide security to coal miners working in the area. Almost all political parties also condemned the attack, demanding of the government take immediate steps to ensure the safety of labourers.
This was not the first time coal miners have been targeted in the region. In the past, labourers working in coal mines have been kidnapped and killed in similar attacks, raising concerns over the security situation in the area.