Pro-government elder, 6 others gunned down in Pakistan

A pro-government tribal elder and six members of his family were shot dead by unidentified gunmen who stormed their home in the restive Balochistan province of southwest Pakistan today.
Nearly a dozen gunmen fired indiscriminately after entering the residence of Dodha Khan in Dera Bugti district.
According to reports, Khan was killed with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandsons in the attack carried out early today.
Security personnel cordoned off the area after the shooting and launched a search for the gunmen.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack but Baloch separatist groups have in the past killed tribal elders for supporting the federal government.

Balochistan, the most deprived province of the country, has been a flashpoint for a separatist insurgency and sectarian violence for over five years. The insurgency became deadlier after nationalist leader Akbar Bugti was killed in a military operation in 2006.
Balochistan witnesses frequent outbreaks of violence involving both Islamist militants and separatist rebels. Baloch insurgents have long demanded more autonomy and a greater share of the province's natural resources.
The region was struck by a devastating earthquake last month. Over 500 people lost their lives and tens of thousands were affected.