Nine Pakistani ‘labourers’ killed in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan

Nine Pakistani labourers, hailing from Punjab province were killed and three others were injured by unidentified assailants in Sirkan area of Saravan City, located in Iran’s Sistan-va-Baluchistan Province, confirmed Ambassador Muhammad Mudassir Tipu on Saturday.

Reacting to the gruesome incident in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Ambassador Mudassir 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 injured are under treatment. We called upon Iran to extend full cooperation in the matter.”

Earlier in the day, Khorsan Diary, while quoting local Iranian media, reported that at least nine Pakistani nationals, hailing from Punjab province (Multan, Muzaffaragarh and Bahawalpur districts) were killed and three others were critically injured.

In a post on X, it said that unidentified armed persons killed the Pakistani when they attacked a vehicle repair shop in Sirkan area of Saravan City, Sistan-va-Baluchistan Province, Iran.

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

The agency said no group or individuals had claimed responsibility.

On the other hand, the Baluch rights group Haalvash said on its website that the victims were Pakistani labourers, who lived at an auto repair shop where they worked. Three others were wounded, it said.

‘Families reaction’

Meanwhile, families of five the victims, hailing from Alipur Tehsil of Muzaffargarh, demanded the government to investigate the incidents and bring the culprits to the book. They said their ‘loved ones’ used to work as labourers in Iran, adding that terrorists entered their house and martyred them. They urged the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan to extend help for tracing and arrest of the terrorists.

Furthermore, the DPO Muzaffargarh said that steps were being taken to bring back the dead bodies of the workers.

The incident occurred a day after both the neighbours restored diplomatic relations following a brief disruption. Ambassadors of both Pakistan and Iran arrived in their respective embassies in Tehran and Islamabad as per “understanding between the two countries.”