In the Dukki area of Balochistan, unidentified gunmen carried out an attack on coal miners, killing at least 20 and injuring seven others. Dr. Jawhar Khan, an official at the Dukki government hospital, reported that 20 bodies were brought to the facility, while some of the injured were taken to hospitals in Dukki and Loralai.
Authorities stated that the assailants entered the miners’ sleeping quarters, forced them to wake up, gathered them, and opened fire. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack on coal miners yet, but in the past, Baloch separatist groups have taken responsibility for similar assaults on coal mines and workers.
Dukki Deputy Commissioner Kaleemullah Kakar confirmed that the assailants fled the scene, but search operations and investigations have begun. The police chief of Dukki, Hamayun Khan, noted that among the deceased, three were from Afghanistan, while others hailed from Zhob, Killa Saifullah, Pishin, Harnai, Musakhel, and Kuchlak.
Following the attack on coal miners on October 11, local residents, coal miners, and relatives of the victims held protests at the Duki Bacha Khan Chowk, demanding that the government ensure their safety and apprehend those responsible for such incidents.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti ordered local authorities on October 11 to cordon off the area and apprehend those involved in the attack. The coal industry in Balochistan provides livelihoods for tens of thousands of people. Mine owners expressed that due to increasing security concerns, workers are reluctant to go to mines in remote areas.
In the Pashtun-majority region of Dukki, coal businessmen reported that the Frontier Corps (FC) demands large sums of money each month in the name of security but fails to provide adequate protection. Recently, coal mine owners informed that they pay the FC 220 rupees for each ton of coal, which totals over 2 million rupees daily and approximately 65 million rupees monthly.
The FC spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, but a local parliamentarian stated he would speak with senior security officials. Meanwhile, provincial government spokesperson Shahid Rand asserted that payments to the FC are made under an agreement and are not illegal.
Additionally, mine owners and businessmen reported that the separatist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) extorts money from them, threatening death if they fail to comply.
