QUETTA: Armed militants attacked a grid station and killed an employee in Balochistan's port city of Gwadar on Monday evening, while five officials of the irrigation department were kidnapped in a separate incident.

Police sources told Dawn.com that the militants opened fire at Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) grid station in Gwadar bazaar, killing one employee on the spot.

The assailants sped away on their motorcycles after the attack. The total number of assailants could not be confirmed, police said.

Wapda Hydro Union announced a strike against the incident on Tuesday.

The union also strongly condemned the attack and lashed out at the government for its failure to protect employees in Gwadar.

In another incident, armed militants abducted five employees of irrigation department from Shadi Core area of Mekran.

Police said the employees were engaged in the construction of the dam when they were taken by the militants.

Police stated that one sub-engineer was also among the kidnapped officials.

The defunct Baloch Republican Army's Spokesman Sarbaz Baloch called Dawn and claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

A search operation was launched by security forces for the recovery of the kidnapped employees.

Balochistan has recently seen a sharp rise in the number of attacks by militants in different parts of the province.