Terrorist attack in Iran leaves eight Pakistani workers dead

Banned Baloch militant group claims responsibility for the killings

STATE OF THE NATION

April 13, 2025

IN what appears to be a spillover of the Balochistan conflict into neighbouring Iran, eight Pakistani auto mechanics have been shot dead in the country’s southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

Iranian officials said that police are currently investigating the incident, which marks the second such attack in the province. A few years ago, nine Pakistanis — also working as mechanics — were killed by gunmen while staying at a workshop in the same region.

According to a report published in Dawn, unidentified armed men stormed a workshop on Saturday night where the Pakistani workers were residing. After overpowering them, the assailants executed all eight.

Police rushed to the scene upon receiving reports of the tragedy. The victims’ bodies were recovered and transferred to a nearby hospital. Iranian authorities confirmed the killings, stating that the attack occurred in a village within the Meharistan district.

“All eight Pakistanis killed were residents of Bahawalpur in southern Punjab,” an Iranian official said. The men had been staying at the workshop where they specialised in polishing, painting, and repairing vehicles.

Five of the victims have been identified as Dilshad, his son Muhammad Naeem, Jaffar, Danish, and Nasir.

A spokesperson for the banned Balochistan National Army (BNA) has claimed responsibility for the killings via a statement released to the media. The incident indicates that Baloch militant groups are not only growing in confidence but are also becoming more effective in targeting individuals from Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Pakistani province of Balochistan has been mired in turmoil for decades. However, violence by militant groups opposing Islamabad's authority has seen a marked increase in recent years.

While critics and independent analysts accuse the Pakistani state of mishandling the crisis by relying predominantly on military measures to control the situation, the government maintains that certain foreign powers — particularly India — have been supporting and funding anti-state militant groups operating in Balochistan.