Murdered workers.

THE murder of two workers hailing from Sindh in Balochistan's Hoshab area on Monday is the second incident this month in which labourers have been targeted in the province. The murdered men were working on a road project. Last week, three workers were killed in a labour camp in Harnai. In that attack, the assailants torched the labour camp after committing the crime. At the time of writing, no organisation had claimed responsibility for these attacks. Moreover, two policemen were also targeted in the Dera Allahyar area of the province on Sunday. This series of deadly attacks targeting ordinary workers trying to make a living in the province, as well as law enforcers, indicates that the problem of militancy in Balochistan is far from resolved, as the state - both its civilian and military arms - has been unable to establish permanent peace in the troubled province. According to figures compiled by the Pak Institute of Peace Studies, at least 12 non-Baloch settlers and workers were killed in militant attacks in the province last year. While the killing of any non-combatant is indefensible, the murder of poor workers trying to provide for their families is particularly reprehensible.

When it comes to bringing peace to Balochistan, we seem to be moving in circles. The combination of military operations, offers of amnesty to militants...