- FO spokesperson says Pakistani officials in ‘constant touch’ with Iranian authorities for repatriation of bodies
- Outlawed BNA and militant group Jaishul Adl claim responsibility for the attack
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday sought “full cooperation” from Iran in investigating the “inhumane and cowardly” killing of eight of its nationals in the latter’s Sistan-Balochestan province, the Foreign Office said.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the inhumane and cowardly killing of its nationals in Iran and expects full Iranian cooperation in investigating the incident and timely repatriation of victims’ remains,” said a press release issued by the FO.
The eight Pakistani motor mechanics and labourers were “tragically killed” in Mehrestan County, located approximately 230 kilometres away from the Pakistan-Iran border, it stated.
According to earlier reports, unknown armed men barged into a workshop sometime on Saturday night and, after tying the workers’ hands and feet, opened indiscriminate firing and killed them. Later, the attackers fled from the site.
All eight workers hailed from several areas of Punjab, the Associated Press of Pakistan stated, listing their names.
A spokesman for the banned outfit, the Balochistan National Army (BNA), claimed responsibility for the incident through a statement issued to the media. However, AFP reported that militant group Jaishul Adl also claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to the FO, Pakistani officials in Iran were in “constant touch” with the authorities there for a probe into the incident and the repatriation of bodies.
“On the instructions of Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, our Embassy in Tehran and our Consulate in Zahidan are in constant touch with the Iranian authorities for a comprehensive investigation to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice as well as for prompt repatriation of the victims’ remains to Pakistan,” the FO said.
“Our Mission has already requested consular access to verify their identities,” it added. The FO noted that the leadership and people of Pakistan were “deeply saddened and perturbed over the tragic incident”.
Further updates would be provided as soon as additional details regarding the identification of bodies and the “circumstances leading to their tragic deaths become available”, it continued.
Following the incident yesterday, Iranian police had rushed to the area and shifted the bodies to a hospital after recovering them.
Iranian authorities said the police were investigating the incident.
It was the second such incident in Sistan-Balochestan, as nine Pakistani workers hailing from Punjab were gunned down by unidentified attackers on Jan 27, 2024 in the province.
That incident came the same month Pakistan conducted retaliatory strikes on terrorist hideouts in Sistan-Balochestan after Iran launched attacks on the border town of Panjgur in Balochistan here.
Balochistan, which borders Sistan-Balochestan, has witnessed a spate of attacks targeting those hailing from Punjab.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the “brutal killing” of the Pakistani workers, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
“The menace of terrorism is devastating for all regional countries,” the premier was quoted as saying.
He urged the Iranian government to arrest the perpetrators immediately, mete out “just punishment to them”, and bring forward the “reasons for this cruel act”.
PM Shehbaz also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contact the families of the deceased Pakistanis and Pakistan’s embassy in Iran for the safe return of their bodies.
Meanwhile, the heirs of the eight “motor mechanics and labourers” killed in the targeted killings have appealed to the government to ensure the repatriation of the bodies of their loved ones as soon as possible, the APP reported.
According to APP, the victims were identified as Dilshad Jind Wada, his son Danish, Naeem Fareed, Jaffar Ramazan and Aamir Liaquat from Samma Satta; Nasir from Musafir Khana; and Khalid and Jamshaid from Ahmadpur East.
Talking to the media, Muhammad Sajjad, the brother of victim Jamshaid, appealed to the government to take immediate steps for the repatriation of his brother’s body.
The mother and widow of Khalid also requested that the bodies be brought back to Pakistan as soon as possible.
