Pakistan, Iran take up guards issue

ISLAMABAD: Not satisfied so far by response from Pakistan in trying to locate 12 Iranian border guards, including members of the intelligence department, who were abducted on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif telephoned his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday to discuss the situation following the abduction.

Pakistan has said that no effort will be spared to assist Iran in finding the Iranian guards. Shah Mehmood Qureshi expressed serious concern on the incident. He also briefed Javad Zarif about the active efforts launched by the Pakistan law enforcement agencies to ascertain the whereabouts of the missing Iranian guards, in coordination with the Iranian military and intelligence counterparts, a statement from his office stated.

“We expect Pakistan to confront these terrorist groups that are supported by some regional states and immediately release the kidnapped Iranian forces,” the media wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) told Voice of America.

Iran has not directly named any country, when it blamed regional states. Pakistan says Javad Zarif thanked Pakistan for its efforts and underscored Iran’s desire to overcome all hurdles jointly with Pakistan in maintaining complete peace along the Pak-Iran border.

Kidnappings of Iranian border guards also occurred in the past and Pakistan reacted strongly, saying that it was concerned by these abductions. The two militaries are trying to put an end to these episodes and have also set up a joint mechanism which to trace the missing Iranians.

Qureshi also informed his counterpart that the two directors general (military operations) of Iran and Pakistan were in close contact through hotline to coordinate the search and rescue efforts including enhanced air surveillance and troops deployment in the border area where the incident took place.

“Such incidents are the handy work of our common enemies unhappy with the existing close, friendly relations between Pakistan and Iran. It is Pakistan’s commitment of not allowing anyone succeed in such malicious efforts. Pakistan and Iran have traditionally shared a ‘border of peace and friendship’ which would be maintained in the same spirit,” Qureshi told the Iranian foreign minister.