9 Pakistanis killed in a firing incident in Iran’s Saravan

9 Pakistani nationals are reported to have been killed in a firing by terrorists in Saravan, Iran on Saturday.

Iran’s Mehr news agency reported earlier in the day citing witnesses, that this morning unknown armed men killed nine non-Iranians in a house in the Sirkan neighbourhood of Saravan city” in the Sistan-Baluchistan province.

No group or individuals had claimed responsibility, according to the Iranian news agency.

As per the Baluch rights group Haalvash on its website claimed that the victims were Pakistani labourers, who lived at an auto repair shop where they worked.

According to the website, three others were wounded, it added.

Two of the victims, who have been identified so far, were labourers hailing from Pakistan’s Lodhran area as stated by their family, while five including two brothers belonged to Tehsil Alipur of Punjab’s District Muzaffargarh.

“Zubair and his nephew had gone to Iran for labour,” Geo News reported citing the family of the victim.

Following the incident, the Foreign Office (FO) in a statement said it was in touch with Iranian authorities over the “horrifying and despicable” killing of Pakistani nationals by terrorists in the neighbouring country.

A statement issued by FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “It is a horrifying and despicable incident and we condemn it unequivocally. We are in touch with Iranian authorities and have underscored the need to immediately investigate the incident and hold to account those involved in this heinous crime.”

“Pakistan’s consul in Zahedan was en route to the hospital where the injured were being treated and would reach in a few hours due to long distances and security imperatives involved,” the spokesperson added.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the consul will also meet local authorities and impress upon them the urgent need for strong action against the perpetrators of this crime.

“We are fully seized of this grave matter and are taking all necessary measures in this regard. The embassy will do its best to repatriate dead bodies at the earliest,” she added.

“Such cowardly attacks cannot deter Pakistan from its determination to fight terrorism,” the FO spokesperson said.

 

On the other hand, reacting to the incident, Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani termed the incident as an “attempt to spoil relations between Pakistan and Iran by our common enemies”.

 

Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s envoy in Tehran, Ambassador Muddasir Tipu said: “Deeply shocked by the horrifying killing of nine Pakistanis in Saravan. The embassy will extend full support to bereaved families. Counsel Zahidan is already on his way to the incident site and hospital where the injured are under treatment. We called upon Iran to extend full cooperation in the matter.”