The families of five Pakistani laborers, who were killed in Iran, are urging the government to repatriate the remains of their loved ones for burial in their hometowns. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Mudassir Tipu, stated on Sunday that two Pakistanis injured in the Saravan attack would soon be discharged from the hospital.
Protest demonstrations were staged by the families of the victims outside the assistant commissioner’s office in Alipur tehsil of Muzaffargarh district. The laborers, identified as Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Shoaib, Shabbir, Muhammad Azhar, and his younger brother Muhammad Asghar, lost their lives in a gun attack on a house in the Sirkan area of Saravan city in Sistan-Baluchestan province, near the Pakistani border.
Reports suggest that the unidentified assailants questioned the laborers, who had been working in Iran for eight to 10 years, about their nationality before opening fire on them. This incident occurred as Pakistan and Iran were working to resume ties after reciprocal strikes against militants in the border region.
A relative of one of the deceased, Mr. Mukhtar, mentioned that the attackers chanted slogans, claiming revenge from Pakistan, and four other victims from the Bahawalpur district were also among those killed. These victims, all laborers by profession, included electricians, carpenters, and construction workers.
The assistant commissioner assured the victims’ families that he was contacting the government and the Foreign Office to repatriate the bodies. The families are demanding decisive action against the perpetrators and assistance in bringing back the bodies. Civil society groups have joined the protest in solidarity with the victims’ families.
Ambassador Mudassir Tipu, in a tweet, confirmed that two of the injured Pakistanis would soon be discharged, while the third required further treatment. He expressed solidarity, stating, “Pakistan firmly stands with them and will do whatever is required for their well-being.”
On Saturday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office, in response to the killings in Iran, called for a comprehensive investigation and swift prosecution of those responsible for the brutal attack. The FO spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, emphasized the need for an immediate investigation and holding accountable those involved in this heinous crime.
