Gunmen on motorbikes shot dead 11 road construction workers on Monday in Gwadar before escaping, officials said. The incident took place in Palari area of Gwadar district. "At least eight gunmen riding four motorcycles opened fire on 50 road construction workers, killing 11 people," Balochistan home secretary Akbar Durrani told AFP.
He said the dead were seven personnel of the military-run Frontier Works Organisation, which undertakes civil engineering projects, and three workers from the National Highway Authority. A senior local administration official in Gwadar, Muhammad Talha, confirmed the incident and casualties. He added that the gunmen later escaped. No one has so far claimed responsibility but the region has been hit by attacks blamed on Taliban militants, although sabotage of gas pipelines in the province are a trademark of nationalist rebels.