QUETTA - Iran’s border guards Saturday fired three rockets into Pakistani territory which landed in Paroom tehsil of Paroom district, with no casualty reported.

“The incident took place in the wee hours of Saturday,” Panjgur’s Deputy Commissioner Jabbar Baloch told The Nation. He confirmed no loss of life or property was caused by the Iranian shelling. The rockets exploded with powerful bang after landing in the area, prompting fear and panic among the residents.

The adjacent areas of Panjgur and Chagai close to Pak-Iran border have repeatedly witnessed rocket shells fired by the Iranian security forces followed by strong protest from the Pakistani side. The regular violation of Pakistani territory by Iranian guards and allegations of cross-border infiltration by Pakistani side has strained ties between the two neighbouring countries who share 900-km long porous border.

In the past Major General Mohammad Baqeri, the head of the Iranian armed forces, threatened to strike inside Pakistani territory against safe havens earlier this year.

The statement came after the Jaish-al-Adl, a militant group, shot dead ten Iranian border guards. On June 21, Pakistan Air Force shot down an Iranian spy drone flying over Panjgur, some 4km inside Pakistani territory.

“We have recorded our protest through a letter over the rockets firing with Iranian authorities,” the deputy commissioner said. Jabbar Baloch said a flag meeting is expected to be held next Tuesday wherein Paroom’s rockets firing incident will be raised with Iranian border security forces.