18 labourers abducted as gunmen attack road project camp in Khuzdar

• Officials say armed men torch vehicles, machinery before storming D-Baloch construction site
• Assailants initially abducted 20 workers, but release two of them after hours
• Security forces launch massive joint operation with Levies, FC, CTD

QUETTA/ISLAMABAD: Unidentified gunmen launched a violent assault on a construction company’s camp in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district, torching vehicles and heavy machinery before abducting 20 labourers, 18 of whom remain missing, the company’s officials confirmed on Friday.

The brazen attack occurred late Thursday night in the remote Kaleri area of Naal, about 80 kilometres from Khuzdar. Armed men reportedly blocked the highway before storming the camp and crush plant of D-Baloch Construction Company, which has been working on a key road project linking Khuzdar to Basima in Washuk district—a major part of Balochistan’s infrastructure and connectivity drive.

According to Levies officer Ali Akbar, the attackers set eight vehicles and several machines ablaze, including heavy equipment and transport trucks. “The gunmen then forcibly took several workers with them,” he said, adding that most of the abducted labourers hailed from Sindh province and had travelled to Balochistan for work.

Company manager Zulfiqar Ahmed confirmed that 20 labourers were initially kidnapped, but two were later released. “Eighteen are still missing,” he said. “The attack has crippled our operations and spread panic among our workers.”

In response, security forces, including the Levies, Frontier Corps, and Counter Terrorism Department, launched a massive search operation across the area. Authorities have cordoned off routes leading into the surrounding mountains, and local tribal elders are assisting security agencies in tracking down the perpetrators.

No group has claimed responsibility so far, but officials noted that Baloch insurgent outfits have been active in the region, often targeting road projects and non-local labourers, whom they accuse of serving “external interests.”

This latest incident marks the second major kidnapping of workers in Balochistan within a week. Earlier, nine labourers were abducted by unidentified gunmen in Mastung’s Dasht area, bringing the total number of abducted workers this week to 27.

Authorities said the spate of attacks appears aimed at disrupting ongoing development projects in the province, particularly those linked to transport and infrastructure expansion. The Khuzdar-Basima road, once completed, is expected to play a key role in regional trade and connectivity under the government’s development initiatives.

The Balochistan government strongly condemned the incident, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice. “Such acts of terror will not derail our development efforts,” a provincial spokesperson said, adding that security around key projects would be further strengthened.

Local observers warn that the growing frequency of such assaults has heightened fears among contractors and labourers, potentially stalling critical infrastructure projects across southern and central Balochistan.

“The repeated targeting of workers and construction sites undermines the province’s fragile development process,” said one analyst, urging authorities to devise a comprehensive security plan for companies operating in vulnerable districts.

Investigations are ongoing, and search operations continue across the rugged terrain of Khuzdar and adjoining districts to recover the missing labourers.