Quetta: Eighteen labourers working at a marble mine in Naal, around 40 kilometres from Khuzdar city in Balochistan, were abducted by armed men on Sunday, police said, prompting a search operation to locate the missing workers.
The incident also involved the abduction of the son of the mine factory’s owner, while the assailants opened fire on a worker who attempted to escape, officials said.
According to officials, a group of armed men entered the mine premises, held the workers at gunpoint and took 18 labourers and the factory owner’s son with them.
The abducted workers belong to the Wadh and Naal areas of Khuzdar district.
Sardar Alam Khan Bizenjo, son of Sardar Aslam Bizenjo, a tribal chief affiliated with the National Party who has served as a minister in several Balochistan governments, owns the mine.
Officials said the assailants also took a loader and two vehicles while leaving the site.
Security forces have launched a search operation in the area to trace the abducted labourers and establish the whereabouts of the factory owner’s son. Authorities have not disclosed whether they have made any arrests.
No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction so far.
The incident has raised concerns over the security of workers at mining sites in Balochistan, where armed attacks and kidnappings have posed challenges for local communities and businesses.
The investigation is continuing, with officials yet to establish the motive behind the abduction or identify those involved.
