GOOD news is scarce in Balochistan. Seven labourers were abducted and gunned down in Turbat city recently. Four belonged to Punjab and two to KP, suggesting that their ethnic background made them targets. Terrorist outfits have not just attacked politicians, activists and jurists, but also innocent non-Baloch workers who travel to the province in search of livelihoods. The killings of citizens must be unequivocally denounced, and the frequency and intensity of such attacks should set off alarm bells across the country and within the security apparatus. What the victims reflect is a deep insecurity driven by conflict and deprivation in the province.

Political disputes, ethnic turmoil and terrorism have left a resource-rich land poor and far behind the rest of Pakistan. Years of neglect, poverty and violence have created a gulf between the people and the state. With a fragile security situation, workers from other provinces often find themselves in a risky situation where varied power dynamics turn them into targets. Labourers across the country, irrespective of where they are working, deserve the same safety, rule of law and justice, and those killed should not become mere statistics. Such atrocities do nothing for Balochistan’s cause or for the rightful demands of its people. They simply perpetuate volatility, damage development, prevent investment and create further misery. Violence against ordinary citizens is inexcusable, and the onus is on the provincial authorities to ensure that those responsible are punished in accordance with the law. Beyond heightened security, vigilance and intelligence needs, lasting stability demands that the state assuage the political, economic and governance anxieties that fuel the cycle of violence. Matters have come to such a pass that without easing Balochistan’s sense of alienation through a complementary political effort, such tragedies will be hard to prevent. Counterterrorism actions, empathy for the people and dialogue with non-violent elements promise protection for all.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2026