Fifteen bullet-riddled bodies were discovered by the Levies force in Balochistan's Kech district on Wednesday morning, officials said.

A senior administration officer who spoke to DawnNews on condition of anonymity said that the Levies found the bodies in the Gorak area of tehsil Buleda. "All the victims received multiple bullets from a close range," he said.

The victims appeared to belong to various districts of Punjab.

Upon discovery of the bodies, Levies and Frontier Corps personnel reached the area and the bodies were shifted to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Turbat.

A search operation was launched in the area but no arrests have been made so far.

It is yet to ascertained whether the victims were labourers or illegal immigrants trying to enter Iran on their way to Europe, the officer said.

A large number of people from Punjab and other parts of Pakistan attempt to sneak into Iran illegally on their way to Greece and other European countries in search of greener pastures.

Kech district is considered to be one of the sensitive districts in the province. Militants in the area have repeatedly attacked labourers, security forces and pro-government politicians in the area.

Earlier, three bullet-ridden bodies were found in the area in September, while another two were found in October.