Four soldiers were martyred on Saturday in a terrorist attack along the Pak-Iran border in the Jalgai sector of Balochistan’s Kech district, according to the military’s media wing.

A press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said: “On April 1, 2023, a group of terrorists operating from Iranian side attacked a routine border patrol of Pakistani security forces operating along Pakistan-Iran Border in Jalgai Sector, District Kech.

“In the attack, unfortunately, four soldiers, including Naik Shair Ahmed, Lance Naik Muhammad Asghar, Sepoy Muhammad Irfan and Sepoy Abdur Rasheed, were critically injured and later embraced martyrdom.”

The ISPR said that “necessary contact” with the Iranian side was being made for “effective action against terrorists” on their territory and to prevent such incidents in the future.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the incident, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office and paid tribute to the martyrs.

He also extended his condolences to their families and offered prayers for them.

“The sons of the soil are laying down their lives for the defence and protection of the country,” he said. PM Shehbaz maintained that ridding the country of terrorism was the national agenda.

“We will rest after defeating the menace of terrorism.”

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also condemned the attack and paid tribute to the martyrs.

“The sons of the country are laying down their lives to protect their land, the whole nation salutes them, the nation is united in the war against terrorism,” he tweeted, adding that “this scourge will be eradicated.”

In January, four security personnel were martyred during “terrorist activity” from across the Pakistan-Iran border in Balochistan’s Panjgur district.

The incident was roundly condemned by Pakistan’s senior officials and the Foreign Office had asked Iran to punish the culprits and ensure a thorough investigation.

Additional reporting by Sanaullah Khan.