The bullet-riddled bodies of 15 Pakistani illegal migrants were found near the Iranian border in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province Wednesday, officials said.
The migrants, found in the district of Ketch, were apparently taken from their vehicle and shot at point blank range, senior administration official Akbar Harifal told AFP.
“All of them are ethnic Punjabis who were illegally travelling to Iran,” he said.
The incident was confirmed by the spokesperson of the provincial government, Anwaar ul Haq Kakar.
“It seems to be the work of separatist groups,” he said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Baloch separatists have regularly targeted ethnic Punjabi workers, accusing them of depriving the province of profits.
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is Pakistan’s most restive province, afflicted by Islamist militancy, sectarian violence, and the separatist insurgency.
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