CHAGAI: The bodies of eight Pakistani nationals, who were shot dead in Iran’s Sistan region, have yet to arrive in Taftan, Chagai district authorities confirmed on Sunday. The victims, employed as car mechanics, were killed by unidentified gunmen at their workshop in Mehrestan, located around 230 kilometers from the Pakistan-Iran border.
Chagai’s Deputy Commissioner (DC) stated that the local administration is in close contact with Iranian officials and the Pakistani embassy in Tehran to facilitate the transfer of the bodies. The Pakistani embassy in Tehran has indicated that it may take up to two more days for the bodies to be transported to the border town of Taftan.
Once in Taftan, arrangements for the onward transportation of the bodies to Bahawalpur will be carried out, the DC confirmed. Six of the victims hailed from Khanqa Sharif, a rural area in Bahawalpur, while the remaining two were from Tehsil Ahmedpur Sharqia.
The region of Sistan-Baluchestan, known for its strategic location, has seen frequent clashes between security forces and separatist militants, as well as smugglers trafficking opium from Afghanistan. The area has been a hotspot for such incidents, including shootings and border clashes.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep concern over the killings and urged Iranian authorities to swiftly apprehend those responsible and ensure they face exemplary punishment. He condemned the attack as a “heinous act of terrorism” and called for a public disclosure of the motives behind the incident.
Pakistani laborers, often employed in vehicle repair and agriculture in Iran’s border regions, have increasingly faced insecurity, with the recent killings highlighting the growing dangers for foreign workers in these areas. In a similar incident last year, nine Pakistanis were killed, and three others injured in a shooting near the Pakistan-Iran border, just a day after the two countries had resumed diplomatic ties.
