Pakistan: Baloch Liberation Army condemns attack on Pashtun labourers, accuses state of inciting division

Quetta [Pakistan], October 13 (ANI): The Baloch Liberation Army has condemned the attacks on Pashtuns in Dukki and the brutal killing of twenty unarmed labourers, the Balochistan Post reported.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the BLA asserted that the conspiracy behind this act of terrorism, orchestrated by the Pakistani establishment, is evident. Its goal is to incite conflict between the Baloch and Pashtun nations--a tactic that Pakistan first attempted in the 1980s.
The BLA emphasised that Pakistan has consistently failed to sever the centuries-old brotherly bond between the Baloch and Pashtuns. On one hand, the Pakistani military extorts millions of rupees in security fees from coal mines; on the other, it perpetrates massacres against the labourers working there.
Notably, the assault occurred at coal mines near the Junaid Coal Company, approximately 8-10 kilometres from Dukki town. Local police reported that a group of 30 to 40 heavily armed assailants targeted the miners' living quarters, where many were resting after their shifts.
The attackers used automatic weapons, rockets, and grenades, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 miners, with many others injured, some in critical condition, as reported by the Balochistan Post.
According to local coal mine owners, including district council chairman Haji Khairullah Nasir, there is widespread frustration over the lack of response from Pakistan's security forces, despite repeated calls for help during the attack. He noted that armed assailants even deployed drones to locate miners hiding in nearby bushes, highlighting the sophisticated tactics used in the assault.
The Pakistani state's panicked use of such malevolent tactics aims to sow seeds of hatred and division between the Baloch and Pashtuns, attempting to portray the ongoing national liberation struggle in occupied Balochistan as a civil war to mislead the world.
The BLA also stated that both the Baloch and Pashtuns are well aware of the conspiracies of the Punjab-led Pakistani state. Like the Baloch regions, Dukki and other Pashtun areas that historically belonged to Afghanistan are currently under Pakistan's occupation, illustrating that Pakistan occupies both Baloch and Pashtun nations equally.
Furthermore, the BLA warned all foreign investors and companies to recognize that Balochistan is a war-torn region. They should refrain from blindly trusting Pakistan's false assurances and empty promises, which could put them at risk.
They stated that particularly, Arab nations, which were once under the control of the Ottoman Empire, should be mindful of the realities of exploitation and colonial oppression. They must respect the will of the Baloch people and avoid supporting Pakistan's occupation, as reported by the Balochistan Post. (ANI)