Balochistan govt has commenced large-scale operation against terrorists, says Langau

(Karachi) Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langau said that the provincial government has commenced a large-scale operation against terrorists, local media reported on Monday.

Chairing a meeting on law and order situation and reviewing the Machh massacre report, Langau said: “A large-scale operation has been commenced against terrorists as the enemies of the country are behind the latest wave of terrorism.”

He said that the anti-state elements want to divide the nation on sectarian and ethnic basis besides carrying out terrorist activities in an organised way.

The home minister maintained that the province is currently in grip of terrorism and action will be taken against terrorists at all costs.

Earlier, protests erupted across the country when at least 11 coal miners were killed and several others were injured in an armed attack at Balochistan's Machh coal field.

Police said the attack took place near the Machh coal field, about 48 kilometers (30 miles) east of the provincial capital Quetta.

Armed men took the coal miners to nearby mountains, where they opened fire on them. Six of the miners were dead on the spot and five who were critically wounded died on the way to a hospital.

Initial investigation revealed the attackers identified the miners as being from a Shiite Hazara community and the gunmen took them away for execution, leaving others unharmed.