Iranian Forces Kill 8 Pak Border Traders (Staff Reporter), Khaleejtimes

“It was midnight when these traders from Gwadar, after delivering about a dozen of cows to their customers here in Bahu Kalat area, were returning home.

28 January 2012 RAS AL KHAIMAH – Iranian forces have killed eight border traders and injured another in the early hours of Thursday northeast of Chabahar port city on Pakistan border.
According to reports reaching here, six cattle traders from Pakistani side of Balochistan after delivering cows to their customers in Iranian Baluchestan province were returning when they were chased and fired upon by the Pasdaran Forces of Iran, killing them all instantly. Four other travellers in two four-wheel drives form Bahu Kalat and Dashtiyari sub-districts north of Chabahar also came under fire, killing two of them instantly while fourth sustaining severe injuries and his brother escaped unhurt.

Both Pakistan and Iran have a treaty allowing people on both sides of the borders free trade exchange, mainly trading foodstuff and other essential commodities.

The incident happened at Zahran hills stretches between Chabahar District in Iran and Gwadar District in Pakistan. The area is one of the largest border trade routes between the two countries with over 400 cargo vehicles shuttling daily. It is also used by smugglers and clashes with Iranian forces are common in the region.

“It was midnight when these traders from Gwadar, after delivering about a dozen of cows to their customers here in Bahu Kalat area, were returning home. They were chased by Pasdaran forces in the early hours of Thursday. They were crossing the border by foot when they were attacked by the forces and were killed on the spot. Two brothers, Hassan Yousuf and Meeran Yousuf from Dimpak village in Bahu Kalat also came under attack. Hassan sustained severe injuries while his brother escaped unhurt,” a resident from Chabahar told Khaleej Times on Friday.

He said two more border travellers, Raszak from Jummazai village and an unidentified from Garm-e-Beit also came under attack. Both were also killed in the attack.

Sources from both Chabahar and Gwadar also said forces have taken the all the eight dead and the injured in their custody and taken to Chabahar.

Meanwhile, officials in Gwadar and the Government of Balochistan have have lodged an official protest against the incident and have been trying to get the bodies of the six Pakistani citizens, hailing from Gwadar, but Iran has refused to release them.

Gwadar’s Deputy Commissioner Abdul Rahman said he was under pressure from the family members of the dead to retrieve their bodies but Iran was not releasing them.