Pakistan Ready to Help Find Iranian Border Guards
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - As the abduction of five Iranian border guards by a Pakistani-based terrorist group moves into its 8th week, Islamabad once again expressed preparedness to help Iran find the soldiers and contribute to their release.
Speaking in a press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Pakistani Foreign Office Spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam reiterated that her country will continue cooperating with the Islamic Republic to determine the fate of the kidnapped Iranian soldiers.
The five Iranian border guards were kidnapped in Jakigour region in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan and Balouchestan on February 6 and taken to Pakistan.
The so-called Jaish-ul-Adl terrorist group claimed responsibility for the abductions.
Elsewhere in her comments, Aslam referred to the “strong relationship” between Tehran and Islamabad, saying Pakistan will do its utmost to sustain the friendly ties.
“We are ready to help in locating these missing guards wherever they are. Our cooperation will continue as we have done in the past. This was also acknowledged by the Iranian officials,” she added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Pakistani ambassador to Tehran over reports that one of the five Iranian abductees has been killed.
The foreign ministry also reminded the Pakistani government to take prompt action in order to identify and arrest perpetrators of the tragic incident and hand them over to Iran.
In a Sunday Tweet, the infamous terrorists claimed that they had killed one of the abductees, called Jamshid Danaeifar.
And on March 25, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham announced that the onus is on the Pakistani government to give an explanation for the death of Danaeifar, and added that lack of serious measures by Islamabad would contradict friendly ties with Tehran.