Militants abduct five miners in Quetta

E-Paper | March 11, 2026

QUETTA: Unknown armed men kidnapped five coal miners in Quetta's Sorenge area on Tuesday.

Police sources told Dawn that militants kidnapped seven miners belonging to the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation in Quetta's Sorenge area.

The kidnappers later freed two coal miners and took the other abductees to nearby mountains.

"Five coal miners are still with kidnappers," police said adding that "The number of kidnappers was yet to be confirmed."

Personnel of Frontier Corps (FC) and police reached the site and launched a search operation to recover the hostages.

There was no claim of responsibility for the kidnapping.

Balochistan is Pakistan's largest but least developed with the most sparse population.

It has been wracked by a separatist insurgency that was revived in 2004.

The separatists believe that locals do not receive a fair share of the province's energy and mineral wealth.

Pakistan

Syed Ali Shah is DawnNews' Quetta bureau chief.

He tweets @alishahjourno

Chinese firms plan to invest $2.6bn in Balochistan

Nadra told to expand services in Balochistan

11 kidnapped employees recovered in Balochistan

Pakistani

Jan 27, 2015 03:14pm

These appear to be Indian assets trying to destrupt economic activity in Pakistan. Pakistan has to forecfully take up the matter of Indian cross border terror.

Recommend 0

Salim

Jan 27, 2015 03:31pm

The security agencies are behaving like hapless clowns, where was the protection to this industrial unit, which is important for our dream of future economic revival of Pakistan?

Recommend 0

Srikant

Jan 27, 2015 03:32pm

@Pakistani bro we don't even share the border with you guys on that side plus I don't know when will you understand that a economically backward Pakistan is worst case for us too as we are in neighbor though in East.

Recommend 0

Zak of forkistani

Jan 27, 2015 03:56pm

It seems no roses in pakistan but only thorns

Recommend 0

Zak of forkistani

Jan 27, 2015 03:57pm

A somalia in making.

Recommend 0

Taimur

Jan 27, 2015 03:59pm

@Srikant so you seem to ignoring the fact India is running training camps in Afghanistan to support this trouble in Pakistan. more so India is financially and morally supporting insurgents, the famous sardar travelled on Indian passport via Iran to Europe. all the evidence was given to Mr. Singh in Shamel Sheikh meeting of your pM with Pakistan then pM Mr. Gilani...

Recommend 0

muhammad

Jan 27, 2015 04:15pm

what a desperate action my militants. now you abduct normal people. hahaha

Recommend 0

Srikant

Jan 27, 2015 04:28pm

@Taimur sorry bro if that was true then why didn't you went with the same proof on the international forum. Giving training is impossible and about financially supporting, well you you have such evidence then in next speech to UN your PM should raise such issues otherwise don't make things.

Recommend 0

M. Siddique

Jan 27, 2015 08:09pm

I used to work in these coal mines and survived an explosion in the mine in which 34 people were killed. Outside the mines it used to be a very safe area.

Recommend 0

Jan 27, 2015 09:29pm

Srikant: This issue has been taken up with John Kerry during his recent visit to Pakistan. Give me single logical reason why India has so many consulates in war-ridden Afghanistan, particularly, closed to Pakistan border.

Recommend 0