Islamabad:
Pakistan asked the full cooperation of the Iranian authorities on Sunday when investigating and bringing before justice those responsible for the brutal murder of eight Pakistani citizens in the province of Sistan-Baluchistan of Iran during the weekend.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday when the bodies of eight Pakistani men were discovered, who had been working as automotive mechanics in Mehresta, approximately 230 kilometers from the border between Pakistan-Iran. His hands and legs were tied, indicating a horrible murder in the style of execution. A little known group, the Baloch National Army (BNA), the responsibility of the attack was attributed.
While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a measured statement that condemned the incident, the sources revealed that Pakistan had transmitted a strong message to Iran with respect to the presence of Baloch terrorist groups on their ground. “Pakistan strongly condemned the inhuman and cowardly murder of his nationals in Iran,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The leadership and people of Pakistan are deeply sad and disturbed by this tragic incident. The prime minister has expressed more condolences for the afflicted families.”
The statement also indicated that Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Iran has requested consular access to verify the identities of the victims.
According to the statement, Pakistan’s embassy in Tehran and the Consulate in Zahidan, about the instructions of the Vice Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ishaq give, in constant contact with the Iranian authorities.
He emphasized a comprehensive investigation to ensure that perpetrators were taken before justice, as well as a rapid repatriation of the remains of the victims to Pakistan. “We expect the full cooperation of the Iranian team in the investigation of the matter and in the timely repatriation of the victims’ remains,” reads the statement.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested on Sunday the implementation of a coordinated strategy of all countries in the region against terrorism, saying that the threat of terrorism was devastating for all nations in the region.
Shehbaz expressed a serious concern about the cruel murder of eight Pakistani in the Muhrestan area, in Iran, and urged Tehran to immediately arrest the accused and bring before the public the reasons for this cruel act.
According to Iranian media reports, unidentified armed men opened fire in a workshop in the Mehrestan district near the Afghanistan border, killing at least eight Pakistani nationals, who worked there as a car mechanics.
Six of the victims were residents of Khanqah Sharif, a rural area of Bahawalpur, while the remaining two came from Tehsil Ahmedpur Sharqia. According to the reports, the victims were found with the hands and feet tied and had been shot at a short distance.
The members of the victims’ family have appealed to the government in search of help to bring the remains home. Shehbaz ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contact the families of the victims and directed the Pakistan Embassy in Iran for the safe return of the bodies.
The Iranian embassy in Islamabad also condemned an attack of “inhuman and armed”, asking for joint efforts to eradicate terrorism, a difficult chronic situation and a common threat throughout the region.
“Combating this sinister phenomenon requires collective efforts and sets from all countries to eradicate all forms of terrorism and extremism that have claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people in recent decades,” he added.
The embassy said that an investigation into the murder of the Pakistani had been launched, and added that the Iranian police were determined to arrest the terrorists involved in the incident and take them before justice. He said arrangements were being made to return the bodies as soon as possible.
