Pakistani man killed as Iranian border guards fire mortar shell into Balochistan

Deceased, identified as Karim Jan, was travelling in his vehicle near border when it was hit by the mortar shell

QUETTA: A civilian was killed on Saturday as Iranian border guards fired mortar shells into Pakistani territory in Panjgur area of Balochistan.

The deceased identified as Karim Jan was travelling in his vehicle near the border when it was hit by a mortar shell fired by Iranian forces, Levies forces told The Express Tribune. The vehicle was completely destroyed in the attack.



The incident comea a month after at least 11 Iranian guards were killed and two others injured in an ambush near the town of Mirjaveh in Sistan and Balochistan. The Jaish-ul-Adl terrorist group claimed responsibility for the assault in a statement. Iran claimed the assailants escaped into Pakistani territory immediately after the attack. Reacting to the incident, President Hassan Rowhani issued a strong public statement urging Pakistan not to allow its territory to be used by such groups against Iran. Pakistan strongly condemned the attack but made it clear that the incident happened on the Iranian side of the border.



Following the stand-off, the two countries decided to revive the hotline nexus for better coordination between their border security forces and set up ‘operational committees’ as part of efforts to ensure better border management.