ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday condemned the recent killing of eight Pakistani nationals in Iran, hoping Tehran would arrest the culprits and hand them stern punishments.
The Pakistani nationals were killed in the Mehrestan County of Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province, which borders Pakistan, on Saturday. The attack was claimed by the Balochistan National Army (BNA), one of several separatist outfits operating in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province.
Militant groups operate in the area that includes Pakistan’s Balochistan and Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province. Both countries trade blame for militancy in the regions that are restive, mineral-rich and largely underdeveloped.
“The foreign minister [of Pakistan] has spoken to the foreign minister of Iran and I have also issued a statement,” Sharif told members of his cabinet during a meeting.
“We should hope that the Irani government will immediately arrest and hand stern punishments to the killers,” he added.
The Pakistani prime minister condemned the attack in strong words.
As per media reports, the Pakistani nationals who were killed in the attack were auto mechanics. Thousands of Pakistanis, mostly from underprivileged backgrounds, regularly cross into Iran for informal work in industries such as auto repair, agriculture and construction.
Balochistan has witnessed a low-level insurgency for nearly two decades. Baloch militant groups such as the BNA accuse the central government of exploiting local resources while neglecting the population.
Islamabad denies the allegations and says it is committed to regional development.
