In a strike beyond Pakistan’s border in the neighbouring Iran, eight Pakistani motor mechanics were shot dead on Saturday in Sistan Baluchestan province by the armed members of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). All victims hailed from the Bahawalpur district in Pakistan’s Punjab and were employed at a local workshop specialising in painting, polishing and vehicle repair.
The deceased were identified as Dilshad, his son Naeem, Jaffer, Danish, Nasir and others.
According to local sources, unidentified assailants stormed the workshop during the night, tied the hands of the mechanics and opened fire, killing them on the spot. Through a statement released to the media, BLA claimed responsibility for carrying out these killings.
It is worth noting that a similar attack occurred in January 2024, when nine Pakistani labourers were killed in Sistan province by unknown assailants. That too was believed to be the handiwork of Baloch nationalists fighting for the creation of an independent Balochistan.
Incidentally, ethnic Baloch are spread mainly in Balochistan province of Pakistan, some border areas of Iran and Afghanistan too.
Iranian authorities have said that the Iranian police were investigating the incident. It was a second such incident in the Sistan Baluchestan. In January 2024 incident, all those who were killed hailed from Punjab, specifically originating from Multan, Muzaffargarh and Bahawalpur districts, according to the News International.
Immediately after the incident, Iranian security forces cordoned off the area and took possession of the bodies. For a couple of hours after the violent incident, there was speculation regarding identity of the assailants but BLA assumed responsibility for carrying out the attack later. Iranian authorities have launched an investigation into the harrowing incident, but no arrests have been made thus far.
Officials from the Pakistan Embassy in Tehran reached the site to identify the victims and gather more information. A spokesperson for the embassy confirmed that they are in constant contact with Iranian authorities and assured that every effort would be made to secure justice for the victims’ families.
Reacting to the development, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said it was a heinous act of terrorism. He called upon the Iranian authorities should disclose the motives behind the attack to the public. His statement had been issued before the BLA had claimed responsibility of the attack targeting ehnic Punjabis of Pakistan working in an area where ethnic Baloch live in large numbers.
“Terrorism remains a grave threat to the entire region,” Sharif said, adding there was need for a coordinated strategy among neighbouring countries to eliminate this menace of terrorism. He also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to immediately contact the families of those shot dead and extend all possible support to them. He also instructed the Pakistani embassy in Iran to take urgent steps to ensure the repatriation of the bodies at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the families mourning the loss have appealed to the government to assist in the immediate repatriation of the bodies of the deceased. One of the victims, Aamir, had been working in Iran for a year. His father shared that Aamir had planned to return home for Eid ul Fitr but was unable to due to border closures.
The incident can be a rude jolt to the Iranian attempts to mend bilateral ties with Pakistan following a short but aggressive episode of cross-border tensions that arose after Iran’s surprise attack targeted at a militant outfit inside Pakistan. Both Iran and Pakistan had claimed in the past they had a common interest in checking and neutralising all violent groups which challenge their sovereignty.
The region, located near the Iran-Pakistan border, has witnessed several similar incidents in recent years, including shootings, smuggling, and border clashes due to its strategic location. Pakistani labourers commonly work in vehicle repair and agriculture in Iran’s border region; however, the recent killings signal growing insecurity for foreign workers in the country’s eastern areas.
