"Local people of Hazara Town were busy in exercise and morning walk at a ground adjacent to Hazara Town graveyard when unknown armed men riding in Pick-Up came and fired rocket and opened fire on them," DIG Operation Quetta Hamid Shakeel told media persons.

At least eight persons were killed on the spot and 15 others injured, the senior police official maintained.

The assailants managed to escape from the scene.

The injured were rushed to hospital where condition of some was stated to be in danger.

Heavy contingent of law enforcement agencies and police rushed to the site and cordoned off the entire area to trace out the attackers.

Law enforcement agencies had also launched a search operation to arrest the assailants.

Further investigation was underway.