Iran slams Pakistan over border guards abduction

Published February 9, 2014
-File Photo
-File Photo

TEHRAN: Iran on Sunday denounced what it called Pakistan's inability to secure its own borders after five Iranian soldiers were kidnapped and taken into its eastern neighbour by extremists.

“We are unhappy with the Pakistani government over the abduction of our guards and their transfer to Pakistan,” Fars news agency reported quoted police chief Esmail Ahmadi-Moghadam as saying.

Jaish-ul Adl, the rebel group formed in 2012 whose name in Arabic means Army of Justice, has said it was behind the kidnapping in Iran's restive southeast province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

The group posted pictures on its Facebook page it said were of the soldiers, handcuffed and being held in an unknown location.

The foreign ministry in Tehran summoned Pakistan's charge d'affaires, demanding that Islamabad “act firmly against the leaders and members of the terrorist group who have fled into Pakistan”, media reports said.

Home to a large Sunni minority and ethnic Baluch in a predominantly Shiite country, Sistan-Baluchestan province has been the scene of unrest in recent years.

Jaish-ul Adl said in November it assassinated a local prosecutor, and in October it ambushed Iranian border guards, killing 14.

In response, Iranian authorities executed 16 “rebels” eight Sunni insurgents and eight drug traffickers.

Another Sunni militant group Jundallah (Soldiers of God), whose leader Abdolmalek Rigi was hanged in June 2010, has also attacked civilians and officials in Sistan-Baluchestan.

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...