DADU, March 3: Three labourers were killed in an explosion during exploration of oil and gas being carried out by a team of a Polish company near Karo Kot in the Khirthar mountain range here on Saturday evening.

Police officer Pir Allah Bachayo of the Wahi Pandhi area told Dawn that officials and engineers of the Geo-Physica, a Polish oil and gas company, were exploring oil and gas in the mountainous area, when three kilograms of dynamite exploded. The blast killed the three men on the spot.

The victims have been identified as Mohammad Asif, son of Gulab Khan; Naseer Ahmed, son of Nazeer Ahmed; and Mohammad Saqib, son of Abdul Rehman, all residents of Attock.

The police officer said that the bodies of the labourers had been brought to the Johi taluka hospital and these would soon be sent to their villages.

He said further investigation into the accident was under way.

The base manger of the camp of Geo-Physica company, Mr Shahid, said that it was not a terrorist act but an accident.