28 killed in Pakistan's Balochistan province

Islamabad, Mar 10 (UNI) A landmine explosion in Pakistan's restive southwestern Balochistan province today killed at least 28 people and injured another seven.

A government spokesman said in Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan, that 35 members of a family were travelling in a tractor trolley, which hit a landmine in Dera Bugti town, some 600 km east of Quetta, killing at least 26 people on the spot while two others later succumbed to their injuries.

Dera Bugti is the home town of tribal chieftain Nawab Akbar Bugti, who is one of many tribal chiefs, alleged by the government of raising private armies and laying landmines in their areas.

President Pervez Musharraf repeatedly asked the tribal chiefs not to challenge writ of the government and behave like good citizens.

Those killed in the incident included women and children. The wounded were shifted to nearby medical centers of the Frontier Constabulary (FC), which is battling a low-scale insurgency erupted last December after government's announcement to explore new reserves of oil and gas in the Kohlu district of Balochistan.

Baloch nationalists accuse the federal government of exploiting resources in their province without passing on the benefits to locals.

The military had launched its latest crackdown on Baluch rebels after a rocket attack on December 14 during a visit by Mr Musharraf to the area.

Baluch nationalists alleged that hundreds of people were killed, while analysts said that could be an exaggeration.

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