Thirteen Pakistani laborers, hailing from Lodhran and Muzaffargarh in Punjab, fell victim to an attack by unidentified assailants in the border region of Iran. The tragic incident, occurring on a Saturday night, resulted in the loss of at least nine lives, with three miraculously surviving the brutal assault.
According to a survivor’s harrowing account, armed men barged into the room in the dead of night while everyone was asleep. The attackers singled out individuals of Pakistani origin, instructing them to stand up before subjecting them to interrogation. Attempts to escape were met with violence, as the assailants subdued and tortured the victims, binding them with their waistbands and forcing them face-down.
The survivor recounted a barrage of indiscriminate gunfire, during which he sustained injuries to his leg and arm. Playing dead amidst the chaos, he managed to escape the assailants’ notice, eventually surviving the horrifying ordeal. One of the three survivors remains in critical condition.
The laborers, primarily employed as mechanics, had ties to Punjab’s Lodhran and Muzaffargarh regions. The incident unfolded a day before the scheduled visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to Pakistan.
This tragic event follows heightened tensions between the two nations, sparked by an Iranian airstrike in Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to retaliate against terrorist hideouts in the Sistan-Baluchestan province. Iranian authorities have initiated an investigation into the attack, with Pakistani officials urging swift action and accountability for the perpetrators.
In response, Pakistan has called upon Iran to “immediately investigate” the incident, attributing the crime to external forces seeking to strain relations between the two nations. Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani condemned the attack, extending condolences to the victims’ families while urging the Iranian government to take decisive action.
Survivors, recounting the horrifying moments, described the assailants fleeing the scene after the attack. Pakistani authorities, including the police and diplomatic representatives, have been actively engaged in the aftermath, offering support to the survivors and coordinating necessary actions.
Pakistan’s Consul in Zahidan visited the hospital where the wounded were being treated, expressing solidarity and assuring continued support for their well-being. As investigations unfold, both nations grapple with the repercussions of this tragic incident, further underscoring the complexities in their bilateral relations.
