Bodies of eight Pakistani workers killed in Iran brought back home

The remains of eight Pakistani citizens who were fatally shot in Iran’s Sistan province earlier this week were flown back to Pakistan in the early hours of Thursday.

According to sources, a special aircraft carrying the bodies landed at Bahawalpur Airport around 3:00am.

The deceased were subsequently moved by ambulance to their home towns for final rites. Seven of the victims were from Khanqah Sharif in Bahawalpur, while one was from Shujaabad in the Multan district.

Strict security arrangements were in place at Bahawalpur Airport, with district administration officials, rescue teams, and security personnel deployed to manage the reception.

Senior officials, including the Bahawalpur Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, were present at the airport to oversee the arrangements and offer condolences to the bereaved families.

The victims had been working as vehicle mechanics in the Mehrestan district, located about 230 kilometres from the Pakistan-Iran border. On 12 April, unidentified gunmen entered the workshop and opened fire, killing all eight.

The Government of Pakistan strongly condemned the attack and has formally urged Iranian authorities to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure they are brought to justice.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif labelled the incident a “barbaric act of terrorism” and called for Iranian officials to disclose the motives behind the attack and prosecute those involved.

Iran’s Sistan-Balochistan region has long experienced unrest, with frequent clashes involving separatist elements, drug smugglers, and security forces.