ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest a deadly gun attack on Friday in which six Pakistan soldiers were killed in the southwestern province of Balochistan.
“The Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan was called to the Foreign Office to lodge a strong protest against the ghastly incident,” the Foreign Ministry said in statement late Saturday night.
“Six Pakistani soldiers embraced martyrdom last night when around 30 terrorists ambushed an FC (Frontier Corps) convoy on patrolling duty along the Pakistan-Iran border. In the cowardly terrorist attack 14 other soldiers were also injured. In exchange of fire 4 terrorists were killed,” the ministry statement said.
“The government of Iran was urged to carry out effective operation against the terrorist group responsible for the attack on its side of the border,” it added. “The need for an effective border coordination mechanism to prevent such incidents in future was also underscored.”
The porous Pakistan-Iran border has long been inundated by drug smugglers and militants.
Last month Pakistani security forces said they had rescued five of 12 Iranian guards abducted by militants close to the border in Balochistan on October 16, 2018.
“With the concerted efforts of the Pakistani Law Enforcement Agencies and armed forces, five abducted Iranian guards have been safely recovered,” Foreign Office spokesman Dr. Mohammad Faisal said in a message on Twitter on November 15.
Iranian media reported in mid October that 12 members of an Iranian border security force had been abducted by militants near the border with Pakistan.
