At least three personnel of National Logistic Cell (NLC) were killed on Tuesday when unidentified armed men opened fire on them in Balochistan’s Harnai district.
The National Logistics Cell, is a federal executive bureau of government of Pakistan and a state-owned ‘strategic organization’ of State of Pakistan.
The NLC employees were busy in restoration works on Sibi-Harnai railway track, when unidentified armed men opened fire and killed three of them in Nakis area. Another worker sustained injuries in the attack.
The deceased include Akhtar Muhammed, Asmatullah and Nasir Khan, whereas, the injured was identified as Rehmatullah.
At least six other NLC employees escaped unscathed in the assault by running away.
The armed men later burnt down at least three camps of NLC.
NLC was deployed to restore the railway track and a bridge after these were blown up by BLA few years ago suspending railway activities between Sibi and Harnai.
Soon after the incident, large number of Pakistani security forces personnel and local administration along with rescue teams reached the spot and shifted the dead bodies and wounded worker to Civil Hospital Harnai. The bodies and injured workers were later taken to Quetta.
Pakistan Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique strongly condemned the attack by insurgents.
He said that workers were working for the restoration of destroyed track at Sibbi-Harnai section which was in the last phase of completion under the supervision of the National Logistic Cell.
Balochistan Chief Minister, SanaUllah Zehri, also condemned the attack on NLC workers.
Separately, a hand grenade attack by armed men in Khuzdar left three people injured who were shifted to hospital. Two seriously injured people were shifted to Quetta for further treatment.
The armed assailants threw the grenade on Sadah Bahar Hotel targeting a group of people.
BLA claims responsibility:
Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for both attacks.
In a statement released to media early on Wednesday, Jeehand Baloch, the spokesman of BLA took responsibility for the attack on NLC camps in Harnai and ‘state informants’ in Khuzdar.
Jeehand Baloch said that Baloch ‘freedom fighters’ attacked and completely destroyed three NLC camps near Harnai. Three NLC workers were also killed in the attack who were working on Sibi Railway section.
Jeehand Baloch said: ‘We will not allow any activities on the Baloch land that are portrayed as developmental projects but in reality are exploitation activities by the occupier. Any such designs and people connected with such projects will face heavy resistance.’
He added: ‘We once again request all nations living on the Baloch land to refrain from being part of any exploitative projects of the occupier state.’
Regarding Khuzdar attack, the BLA spokesman said that BLA fighters hurled hand grenades on a group of ‘state abettors and informants’ present in a hotel. He said that: ‘these people were involved in crimes against Baloch nation in Khuzdar and adjoining areas’.
He added that attacks on such elements ‘who sell out for pennies to the enemy state’ will be further intensified.
Jeehand Baloch further added that on December 1st, Pakistani forces tried to surround and run over a camp of BLA in Gehro near Gichk Panjgur. However, this siege was successfully broken and at least two personnel of Pakistani security forces were killed by BLA fighters.
He vowed that such activities against Pakistani security forces and abettors will continue till the ‘liberation of Baloch land’.