QUETTA: A group of unidentified gunmen attacked a residential quarter in Gwadar, a coastal town in Pakistan, in the early hours of Thursday, killing seven laborers from Punjab province, confirmed a local administration official.
The attack, which occurred about 24 kilometers from central Gwadar city, targeted hair-salon workers from Khanewal district in Punjab while they were sleeping.
Speaking to Arab News, Deputy Commissioner of Gwadar Hamood-ur-Rehman said the assailants stormed the quarter around 4 AM and opened fire on the occupants.
“The attackers killed seven laborers belonging to Punjab province before escaping from the area,” he said. “One worker was injured in the attack and has been transferred to District Headquarter Hospital Gwadar for medical treatment.”
Rehman also mentioned the district administration and law enforcement agencies had started investigating the incident. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
This is the third attack against laborers from Punjab within a month in Pakistan’s restive southwestern Balochistan province, which shares porous borders with Iran and Afghanistan and has experienced a low-scale insurgency by Baloch separatist groups against the Pakistani state.
In April, the proscribed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the killings of nine Punjab residents traveling to Iran from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan. In another incident last month, two Punjabi garage workers were targeted.
Baloch nationalists have long accused the Pakistani government and Punjab province of monopolizing profits from Balochistan’s abundant natural resources, saying it has led to political marginalization and economic exploitation.
However, Pakistani administrations have denied these allegations, citing several development initiatives launched in the province to improve local living conditions.
Gwadar, located on the Arabian Sea coast, plays a pivotal role in the multibillion-dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that is envisaged to enhance regional connectivity.
Despite being resource-rich, Balochistan remains Pakistan’s most sparsely populated and impoverished province.
“The slain laborers were shot multiple times,” Dr. Hafeez Baloch, the medical superintendent at DHQ Gwadar, told Arab News. “We found bullet injuries on their heads and bodies.”
“One injured individual, who was in stable condition, has been referred to Karachi for better treatment,” he added. “The bodies of the slain laborers have been returned to their native village in Punjab.”
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the killings, describing the incident as “a cowardly attack on the country by its enemies.”
“We will eradicate terrorism from the country and stand with the families who lost their loved ones in Gwadar,” he declared in a statement.
Meer Sarfaraz Bugti, the provincial chief minister, vowed to pursue the attackers, saying: “We will use all our might against these terrorists and establish the writ of the state.”

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said on Thursday four Hajj flights scheduled to fly in the morning departed following a fire caused by short-circuiting at an airport in the eastern city of Lahore which was “quickly brought under control.”
The incident took place hours after the country launched a special flight operation for Hajj pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia from the southern port city of Karachi.
“All four Hajj flights operated by Pakistan International Airlines, Airblue and Air Sial departed on time from the domestic departure,” CAA Spokesperson Saif Ullah told Arab News. “Passengers were shifted immediately from international to domestic terminal.”
“This happened after a fire broke out due to a short circuit in the record room of the immigration department at the airport, but it was quickly brought under control with the combined efforts of relevant authorities,” he continued. “Due to the smoke, which spread after the fire, immediate evacuation measures were taken to ensure the safety of the people and prevent any harm.”
He informed a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) had been issued to manage international flights until 3:30 PM, resulting in some disruptions in the flight operations. However, the airport remained operational for domestic flights, cargo and air traffic control.
“Only a few international flights will be affected during the five-hour NOTAM period,” he added.
Earlier, a CAA statement said the situation at the airport was gradually returning to normal and no casualties had been reported.
Several Pakistani media outlets reported that the fire damaged the immigration system partially, after which the immigration process was halted.
Airport authorities also evacuated several passengers from the international terminal due to heavy smoke.