Iranian border guards opened fire on a vehicle carrying Pakistani citizens near the border village of Mashkel in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan Province, killing four people and injuring two others.
Four Baloch were killed and two were injured late on Tuesday night, when Iranian forces opened fire in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan in Pakistan, officials said.
The shooting took place near the Eastern Balochistan border, in Washuk District, confirmed Umar Jamali, additional deputy commissioner.
Naeem Umrani, deputy commissioner Washuk, said an investigation is being initiated to determine the reason for the shooting.
Former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited Pakistan in April on a three-day official visit as the two Muslim neighbours seek to mend ties after unprecedented tit-for-tat military strikes this year. Raisi’s visit was seen as a key step towards normalising ties with Islamabad.
Iran and Pakistan have had a history of rocky relations, but missile strikes in January were the most serious incidents in years, with Pakistan recalling its ambassador to Tehran and not allowing its counterpart to return to Islamabad, as well as cancelling all high-level diplomatic and trade engagements.
Swift efforts to lower the temperature subsequently led to assurances that they respected each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as vows to expand security cooperation and requests for envoys to return to their posts.
Islamabad said it hit bases of the separatist Baloch Liberation Front and Baloch Liberation Army, while Tehran said it struck militants from the Jaish al Adl (JAA) group.
The militant groups operate in an area that includes Balochistan’s southwestern of Western and Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province. Both regions are restive, mineral-rich and largely underdeveloped.
Balochistan border region known for smuggling activities, sees the daily movement of Iranian oil, edibles, and other products into Pakistan,
A senior government official confirmed that those killed were smugglers. “It was smugglers who were countered by the Iranian side. We have no issues on the border with Iran,” the official told EFE, requesting anonymity.
Iran and Pakistan have a history of unstable relations marked by border tensions.
Iran accuses militant groups of using Pakistani soil to launch attacks inside Iran, while Pakistan claims that Baloch insurgents take refuge in Iran to carry out attacks against Pakistan.
Relations between the two countries strained in January after tit-for-tat strikes, resulting in the deaths of 12 people on both sides.
Both nations stated they were targeting militant hideouts in each other’s border regions.
Following these incidents, Pakistan recalled its ambassador from Tehran and decided not to allow his counterpart to return to Islamabad, canceling all high-level diplomatic and trade engagements.