QUETTA: Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai has said that seven more bodies of alleged terrorists were discovered during the sanitisation process in and around Mach.

In a statement released on Saturday, he said that 11 bodies and parts of a suicide bomber, who blew himself up, were recovered two days earlier.

“This brings the confirmed death toll to 19 out of 24 individuals previously identified as killed in terrorist activity,” he said, adding that one body is yet to be identified.

He said authorities, along with officials from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), are collaborating with Nadra to determine its identity.

“Four bodies have already been released to families who reluctantly confirmed their affiliation with the banned BLA,” Mr Achakzai said.

He emphasised the critical nature of the situation, highlighting that three of the recovered individuals were previous­­ly reported missing and their pictures were displayed in the sit-in staged in Islamabad by Baloch Yakjehti Committe.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2024