Zahedan, April 12, 2025: At least eight Pakistani nationals were shot dead in a brutal attack by unidentified gunmen in Sistan and Baluchestan, a volatile province in eastern Iran near the Afghanistan border, early Saturday morning.
The shooting occurred in the village of Hizabad-e-Paeen in Mehrestan district, a region known for ongoing security challenges, including smuggling and sporadic violence. According to reports by the Halwosh news agency, the victims were ambushed by armed assailants who opened fire and fled the scene.
All of the victims were reportedly mechanics working in the area. Five of the deceased have been identified as Delshad, the local repair shop owner, his son Naeem, and three others — Jafar, Danesh, and Nasir — all originally from Punjab, Pakistan.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, and official statements from Iranian and Pakistani authorities remain pending.
Mehrestan and other parts of Iran’s southeastern border have witnessed rising incidents of violence in recent years. On April 21, 2024, five Iranian law enforcement officers were killed in an attack on the Suran-Mehrestan highway, highlighting the area’s fragile security situation.
Thousands of Pakistani laborers, particularly from Balochistan and Punjab, work in Iran’s border provinces in sectors such as agriculture, transport, and vehicle maintenance. But deteriorating law and order conditions have made them increasingly vulnerable to violence.
This latest attack not only raises alarm over the safety of foreign workers in Iran’s restive regions but also exposes the persistent instability near the Iran-Pakistan-Afghanistan tri-border area.
Human rights groups and local civil society activists have called for immediate investigation and justice, urging both governments to ensure the protection of migrant workers and enhance bilateral coordination on border security.
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