Five people from Punjab were shot dead after unidentified armed assailants opened fire in Balochistan’s Washuk district on Sunday, officials said.
According to Deputy Commissioner Washuk Majid Sarparah, the incident took place in Mashkel, a town near the Pakistan-Iran border. The attackers allegedly opened fire on shops where Punjabi workers were employed, killing five people at the scene before fleeing.
The deputy commissioner said all five victims belonged to different areas of Punjab. Authorities shifted the bodies for legal formalities, after which they were being transported to their native hometowns.
Law enforcement agencies have launched an investigation to identify the attackers and determine the motive behind the assault. No arrests have been reported so far.
Officials suspect the involvement of outlawed Baloch militant groups, which have previously claimed responsibility for similar attacks targeting workers from other provinces. However, no group has claimed responsibility for the latest incident at the time of publication.
The attack has once again raised concerns over the security situation in parts of Balochistan, particularly in districts bordering Iran, where security forces have carried out multiple operations against militant groups in recent months.
Authorities said further updates will be shared as the investigation progresses.
