QUETTA: A Levies force official was martyred in Ziarat on Saturday, a day after militants in a separate attack on a Levies police station held personnel at gunpoint and took away their official weapons and motorbikes.

Gul Zaman, the Levies official, was heading back home when he was targ­e­ted by unidentified armed men riding motorbikes near Ziarat, police said.

Police removed the body to the district hospital. “He received multiple gunshot wounds, which caused his instant death,” they said while quoting hospital officials after medico-legal formalities.

No one claimed responsibility for the killing and the motive behind the shooting remains unclear, police said. However, police registered a case and initiated an investigation after handing over the body to heirs.

Earlier on Friday night, armed militants barged into a Levies police station in the Hoshab area and held the personnel hostage.

Officials said militants collected all weapons, mobile phones, cash from the Levies personnel before disappearing into the dark. They also took away motorbikes of the Levies personnel, the officials added.

Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove ordered immediate suspension of all Levies personnel, who were present at the police station, and directed the district administration to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

In a letter to Additional Chief Secretary Zahid Saleem, the home minister said, “Prompt disciplinary action should be taken against the deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner of Turbat, and conduct an inquiry.”

Behram Baloch in Gwadar also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2024