Islamabad; The bodies of eight Pakistanis killed in Iran’s Sistan region have not yet been brought to Taftan, Chagai district authorities said on Sunday. The victims, who worked as car mechanics, were killed by unidentified gunmen at their workshop in Mehrestan district, located about 230 kilometres from the Pakistan-Iran border. According to Chagai Deputy Commissioner (DC), the local administration is in contact with Iranian officials as well as the Pakistani embassy in Tehran to facilitate the transfer.
The Pakistani embassy in Tehran has indicated that it may take up to two more days for the bodies to be moved to the border town of Taftan, the DC added.
Arrangements have already been made for onward transportation of the bodies to Bahawalpur once they arrive in Taftan, the official confirmed.
Six of the slain men belonged to Bahawalpur’s rural area, Khanqa Sharif, while the remaining two were from Tehsil Ahmedpur Sharqia.
The impoverished Sistan-Baluchestan region has long been the scene of sporadic clashes between security forces and separatist militants and smugglers carrying opium from Afghanistan, the world’s top producer of the drug.
