11 Abducted Labourers Freed in Duki After Elders’ Talks
Eleven labourers who were abducted by a group of armed men from Duki district in Balochistan around two weeks ago were released on Friday.
Additional chief secretary (home) Hamza Shafqaat confirmed to Dawn that the 11 labourers were released safe and had been shifted to a safe place.
The abduction
On September 26, between 40 and 50 unidentified men attacked the SMC Construction Company camp at Palri in Duki. Four company vehicles were torched, one private security guard was killed and another was injured, and 12 labourers were taken away at gunpoint.
The Duki superintendent of police, the Frontier Corps and other agencies cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace the abducted men and their captors.
The ordeal turned deadly for one of the abductees. The kidnappers killed a labourer named Shahid, whose body was dumped in Kohlu.
Tribal elders broker the release
Authorities enlisted tribal elders, who held lengthy negotiations with the captors. Following the success of those talks, the remaining 11 labourers were freed.
Ten of the freed labourers are from Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab, and one is from Duki district.
The release marks a rare positive outcome in a province where abductions of workers have often ended badly. Tribal mediation has long been a parallel track to security operations in Balochistan, and it was the elders’ intervention that secured this result.
A pattern of attacks on workers
The attack fits a pattern of assaults on labourers and development projects in Balochistan this year. Armed groups have repeatedly targeted construction camps, torching machinery, abducting workers and killing guards, particularly in remote areas where security presence is thin.
The SMC camp was working on road construction in the mineral-rich Duki region. Such projects have become frequent targets, with attackers seeking to disrupt development and intimidate companies operating in the province.
Security officials have stepped up operations across Balochistan in recent weeks, and the CTD has reported killing dozens of militants in intelligence-based operations. But the Duki abduction shows that large armed groups can still mount coordinated attacks on fixed sites.
Frequently asked questions
How many labourers were freed in Duki?
Eleven labourers were released on Friday, October 9, 2026. A twelfth abductee, Shahid, was killed by the kidnappers and his body was dumped in Kohlu.
When were they abducted?
On September 26, when 40 to 50 armed men attacked the SMC Construction Company camp at Palri in Duki, torching vehicles, killing a guard and taking 12 labourers at gunpoint.
How were they released?
Tribal elders held lengthy negotiations with the captors at the authorities’ request, and the 11 labourers were freed after the talks succeeded.
Where are the freed labourers from?
Ten are from Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab, and one is from Duki district. They have been shifted to a safe place.
