Unknown gunmen kidnapped nine labourers from a construction site in the Dasht area of Balochistan’s Mastung district on Wednesday evening. According to Levies officials, the victims were taken at gunpoint along with their pickup vehicle. The incident has raised fresh concerns about the deteriorating security situation in the region.
Labourers Taken While Returning from Construction Site
Officials said the labourers had been working at an under-construction building in the Siyah Pesh area of Tehsil Dasht. They were returning home after completing their work when the armed men intercepted their vehicle.
The attackers reportedly released the local driver shortly after the abduction but took the nine workers and their pickup truck with them. The kidnapped labourers are said to belong to various districts of Punjab and Sindh, who had been employed on the local construction project.
Witnesses from nearby villages said they heard gunfire during the incident, but by the time security forces reached the scene, the assailants had disappeared into nearby hilly areas.
Security Forces Launch Large-Scale Search Operation
Following the abduction, the Levies Force, police, and other law enforcement agencies launched a joint search operation. Checkpoints were set up on key routes leading out of Mastung, and security personnel began combing nearby mountainous regions.
Authorities have yet to identify the perpetrators or their motives. No militant or separatist group has so far claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. Officials confirmed that efforts are underway to trace the abducted men and recover them safely.
Local administration sources said intelligence agencies have also been alerted and additional reinforcements have been deployed to assist in the search. The incident has caused fear among workers in the area, many of whom have temporarily halted work until the situation stabilises.
