ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday asked Iran not to allow its territory to be used for “cross-border attacks” after the Pakistan army said four security personnel had lost their lives in an attack in southwestern Balochistan province by militants hiding in the neighboring country.
Iran and Pakistan have for years accused each other of not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering across their lengthy, shared border — long plagued by unrest from both drug smuggling gangs and separatist and religious militants.
“I strongly condemn killing of our 4 security officials in a terrorist incident along Pakistan-Iran border in Balochistan,” Sharif said in a Twitter post. “Nation pays homage to the sacrifices of their martyred soldiers in line of duty. We expect Iran will ensure that its soil is not used for cross border attacks.”

 
Earlier, the military’s media wing, ISPR, said in a statement the security personnel were killed in an attack launched “from across Pakistan-Iran border in Chukab Sector, District Panjgur, Balochistan.”
“Terrorists used Iranian soil to target a convoy of security forces patrolling along the border,” it added.
The military said it had asked Iran to “hunt down the terrorists on their side.” Iranian authorities have not yet responded to these statements from Pakistan.
In 2019, Iran and Pakistan said they would form a joint quick reaction force to combat militant activity on their shared border, but little has been reported since on the force’s work.
Pakistan has seen a spike in militant attacks in recent weeks, with most linked to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan group, or TTP, that unilaterally ended a cease-fire with the Pakistani government in November. The Pak Institute for Peace Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank, said Pakistan was hit by 254 militant attacks in 2022.
In a separate incident on Wednesday, the Pakistan army said soldiers carried out an “intelligence-based operation” (IBO) in Balochistan and gunned down four militants.
“The operation was launched to clear a hideout of terrorists, linked with firing incidents on security forces and civilians besides planting of improvised explosive devices on M-8, in general area Talsar, Hoshab,” the statement said.