QUETTA, Oct 23 Iranian border authorities handed over to Pakistan on Friday the bodies of five Pakistanis, claiming that they were killed in the suicide attack on the Revolutionary Guards on Sunday.

According to sources, Iranian authorities suddenly informed the Taftan administration and Pakistani border officials that they had brought the bodies.

“A letter was handed over to Pakistani border authorities with the bodies,” the sources said.

However, Pakistani border officials expressed doubt about the claim of Iranian authorities.

A police officer in Taftan, Abid Khan, said the cause of deaths appeared to be torture. “I am sure they were not killed in a bomb blast.”

He said blood was oozing from the ears and noses of two bodies. Although only medical examination would determine the cause of death, they appeared to have been tortured, he said.

The bodies were received by an official of the Taftan administration, Syed Zahid Shah. He said four of the men hailed from Yaro, in Pishin district, and from Nawan Killi, near Quetta.

He said the deceased -- Abdul Sattar, Rehmatullah, Abdullah, Wali Mohammad and Allah Nazar -- belonged to the Trahkai Pakhtun tribe and had gone to Iran in search of jobs.

The bodies were handed over to their relatives.

Amanullah, a relative of one of the victims, said “I have received the five bodies in Taftan from Pakistani border officials.”

He said after learning that the five men, who were related to each other, had been arrested in Zahidan four days ago he had gone to Taftan along with another relative to make efforts for their release.

However, when he reached Taftan, he was informed about their death.

“An independent inquiry should be conduced into the cause of the deaths,” he said.

AFP adds Iran's Fars news agency quoted Sistan-Baluchestan's deputy governor Jalal Sayyah as saying that four Pakistani citizens were among those who had died in the attack on the Revolutionary Guards.

He alleged that the suicide attacker had been trained in “one of Jundallah chief Abdolmalek Rigi's bases in Pakistan”.