Ten labourers killed in Mastung

MASTUNG: Ten labourers were killed on Thursday when gunmen riding on motorbikes sprayed bullets at road workers in Mastung area of Balochistan, officials said.

A group of four or five armed men came to the site of road building works in the town of Dasht, about 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the provincial capital Quetta, and opened fire, senior administration official Irfan Shah told.

"The gunmen fled on their motorbikes leaving nine people dead and four injured," he said, adding that one was in a critical condition.

Police officer Mohammad Ismail confirmed the toll.

The bodies and injured were shifted to Quetta while Levies and local administration are reaching the spot.

Nobody immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The oil and gas rich province which borders Iran and Afghanistan is plagued by sectarian violence, attacks by Taliban militants and a tribal insurgency.