Armed men kidnap eight coal miners from Balochistan

Initial investigation suggests that a Baloch separatist group kidnapped the coalminers: Balochistan Tehsildar.

QUETTA: A group of armed men kidnapped eight coal miners from Shahrag area of Harnai district, about 167 kilometers from Quetta, in the early hours of Wednesday.

According to Balochistan Tehsildar of Shahrag Sajjad Gul Kakar, the coal miners were sleeping in their makeshift camp near the coalfield when a group of armed men besieged their camp and kidnapped eight coal miners at gun point.

“Initial investigation suggests that one of the Baloch separatist groups have kidnapped these coalminers,” Kakar told The Express Tribune.

“The coalminers belonged to Khyber-Pakhtunkwa and a manhunt has been inititiated in the area,” another senior official stated.

He added that Baloch separatist groups often kidnap coal miners in order to bar mining companies from extracting coal and other resources.

A couple of years ago, Baloch separatist groups had warned the companies not to carry out any project in Balochistan, threatening to target the companies if they engage in such activities.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for these kidnappings.