QUETTA: The families of six kidnapped aid workers launched an unusual public campaign on Thursday to raise ransom money demanded by their abductors, police and witnesses said.

About a dozen armed militants whisked away six people working for the Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP) in Pishin district of the troubled province in December.

Their families have set up a camp at a main junction in the middle of the provincial capital to try to raise the $2.5 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers, who are believed to be from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The group in a statement claimed to have killed 30-year old Maqbool Ahmed in February after the expiry of a deadline, his father Mohammed Deen, 63, said.

The families said the militants had threatened that the remaining five would also be killed next week if the money was not paid, forcing them to launch the unusual drive.

Sitting at a camp bedecked with banners appealing for donations, Sultan Ahmed, 55, said the gunmen had also refused to hand over his son.

The abductees are from poor families and the NGO, dealing with health, education and agriculture projects, says it has no funds to pay for its employees, he said.

“So far the government has also done nothing, so we are left with no option but to seek the help of philanthropists and local people,” Ahmed said.

“We have asked people to contribute whatever they can, so that we can secure their release.”

BRSP official Nadir Gul confirmed the aid group was unable to pay the ransom. “We have already terminated services of 108 employees and we are winding up our programme because we have no funds,” he said.

Militancy-hit Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is facing separatist violence and Taliban activity. Taliban and other Al Qaeda-linked militants have carved out strongholds in the rugged tribal belt near the Afghan border.

TTP is the most feared militant group operating in Pakistan and is headed by tribal warlord Hakimullah Mehsud.

Last month a Swiss couple escaped after being held captive by the TTP for more than eight months. The couple were abducted at gunpoint from Balochistan in July.

Pakistani officials said they were found at a checkpost in the tribal belt, a Taliban and Al Qaeda stronghold on the Afghan border but the nature of the escape was clouded in mystery.—AFP