- FO spokesperson says Pakistani officers in ‘fixed contact’ with Iranian authorities for repatriation of our bodies
- Outlawed BNA and militant group Jaishul Adl declare duty for the assault
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday sought “full cooperation” from Iran in investigating the “inhumane and cowardly” killing of eight of its nationals within the latter’s Sistan-Balochestan province, the Overseas Workplace mentioned.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the inhumane and cowardly killing of its nationals in Iran and expects full Iranian cooperation in investigating the incident and well timed repatriation of victims’ stays,” mentioned a press launch issued by the FO.
The eight Pakistani motor mechanics and labourers have been “tragically killed” in Mehrestan County, positioned roughly 230 kilometres away from the Pakistan-Iran border, it said.
In response to earlier reviews, unknown armed males barged right into a workshop someday on Saturday night time and, after tying the employees’ fingers and toes, opened indiscriminate firing and killed them. Later, the attackers fled from the location.
All eight staff hailed from a number of areas of Punjab, the Related Press of Pakistan said, itemizing their names.
A spokesman for the banned outfit, the Balochistan Nationwide Military (BNA), claimed duty for the incident via an announcement issued to the media. Nevertheless, AFP reported that militant group Jaishul Adl additionally claimed duty for the assault.
In response to the FO, Pakistani officers in Iran have been in “fixed contact” with the authorities there for a probe into the incident and the repatriation of our bodies.
“On the directions of Deputy Prime Minister/Overseas Minister Ishaq Dar, our Embassy in Tehran and our Consulate in Zahidan are in fixed contact with the Iranian authorities for a complete investigation to make sure that perpetrators are dropped at justice in addition to for immediate repatriation of the victims’ stays to Pakistan,” the FO mentioned.
“Our Mission has already requested consular entry to confirm their identities,” it added. The FO famous that the management and folks of Pakistan have been “deeply saddened and perturbed over the tragic incident”.
Additional updates could be supplied as quickly as extra particulars relating to the identification of our bodies and the “circumstances resulting in their tragic deaths develop into obtainable”, it continued.
Following the incident yesterday, Iranian police had rushed to the world and shifted the our bodies to a hospital after recovering them.
Iranian authorities mentioned the police have been investigating the incident.
It was the second such incident in Sistan-Balochestan, as 9 Pakistani staff hailing from Punjab have been gunned down by unidentified attackers on Jan 27, 2024 within the province.
That incident got here the identical month Pakistan performed retaliatory strikes on terrorist hideouts in Sistan-Balochestan after Iran launched assaults on the border city of Panjgur in Balochistan right here.
Balochistan, which borders Sistan-Balochestan, has witnessed a spate of assaults concentrating on these hailing from Punjab.
Earlier within the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the “brutal killing” of the Pakistani staff, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
“The menace of terrorism is devastating for all regional international locations,” the premier was quoted as saying.
He urged the Iranian authorities to arrest the perpetrators instantly, mete out “simply punishment to them”, and convey ahead the “causes for this merciless act”.
PM Shehbaz additionally directed the Ministry of Overseas Affairs to contact the households of the deceased Pakistanis and Pakistan’s embassy in Iran for the protected return of their our bodies.
In the meantime, the heirs of the eight “motor mechanics and labourers” killed within the focused killings have appealed to the federal government to make sure the repatriation of the our bodies of their family members as quickly as doable, the APP reported.
In response to APP, the victims have been recognized 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.
Speaking to the media, Muhammad Sajjad, the brother of sufferer Jamshaid, appealed to the federal government to take quick steps for the repatriation of his brother’s physique.
The mom and widow of Khalid additionally requested that the our bodies be introduced again to Pakistan as quickly as doable.