Protests have erupted in Balochistan’s Duki district following a devastating rocket attack on coal mines that left at least 20 miners dead and seven others injured. The latest bout of violence in the province unfolded when armed men launched an assault on the mines in the early hours of Friday, using heavy weapons, according to Humayun Khan, the local police station house officer. The attackers fired rockets and grenades at the site, located east of Quetta.
The mineral-rich region, bordering Afghanistan and Iran, has long been plagued by violence, though no group has claimed responsibility for this attack. In response, citizens staged protests at Bacha Khan Chowk, displaying the bodies of the victims, while local traders announced a district-wide shutter-down strike in protest. Markets and trade centers across Duki remained closed on Friday.
Following the attack, police and Frontier Corps personnel cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. The bodies and injured were transported to Teaching Hospital Loralai for treatment, where Medical Officer Dr. Johar Sadozai confirmed the death toll had climbed from two to 20.
Haji Khairullah Nasir, the owner of the mines, revealed that the attackers not only targeted the miners but also set fire to the machinery. Among the deceased, some hailed from Pishin, Qila Saifullah, Kuchlak, and Afghanistan.
Chief Minister Bugti has ordered immediate action against the perpetrators of the attack.
