Six abducted laborers found shot dead in Pakistan's Balochistan

The bodies of six laborers abducted earlier this week in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province were found with gunshot wounds on Thursday, officials said.

Armed men had intercepted their vehicle and kidnapped seven workers in Kech district days earlier.

What happened to the abducted laborers in Balochistan?

Unidentified gunmen blocked the Turbat-Mand Road in the Kalatak area of Kech district on Tuesday and forced seven workers from their vehicle. One laborer was killed shortly afterward, with his body dumped along a highway the same day.

The bodies of the remaining six workers were later recovered from the Nasirabad area of Turbat, indicating they had also been executed by their captors. Officials said four victims were from Pakistan's eastern Punjab province and two were from the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The laborers had been employed on a development project in Kech district. Their bodies were transferred to the district headquarters hospital in Turbat for autopsies. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the killings.

Who is being blamed for the Balochistan killings?

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, blaming what he described as "Fitna al-Hindustan" militants, a term Pakistani authorities use for groups they say are backed by India to carry out attacks inside the country.

Naqvi extended condolences to the victims' families and described the killings as an act of extreme brutality.

He said the attack was aimed at undermining development efforts and employment opportunities in Balochistan, adding that those responsible should face the full force of the law.

Why does Balochistan see recurring militant violence?

Balochistan, Pakistan's largest but least populated province, has long grappled with militant violence targeting security forces, infrastructure and workers. The province has faced repeated attacks on laborers and development projects in recent years.

Pakistan's security situation, after showing signs of improvement earlier this year, deteriorated in May with a rise in militant attacks concentrated in Balochistan and neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.