ISLAMABAD    -    Pakistan sent god wishes to Iran as the Islamic Republic celebrated the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif felicitated the Iranian leadership on the event. This came days af­ter Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on Iran not to allow its ter­ritory to be used for “cross-border attacks.” Pakistan Army earlier said four security personnel had been martyred during an attack in Balo­chistan province by militants hid­ing in the neighboring country.

Iran and Pakistan have for years accused each other of not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering along their lengthy shared border, which long has been plagued by unrest among drug smuggling gangs, and sepa­ratist and religious militants.

“I strongly condemn killing of our four security officials in a ter­rorist incident along Pakistan-Iran border in Balochistan,” Sharif said in a message posted on Twitter.

“Nation pays homage to the sac­rifices of their martyred soldiers in line of duty. We expect Iran will ensure that its soil is not used for cross border attacks.” Earlier, the Inter-Services Public Relations- the military’s media wing - said the per­sonnel were martyred kduring an attack launched “from across Pak­istan-Iran border in Chukab Sec­tor, District Panjgur, Balochistan.” It added: “Terrorists used Iranian soil to target a convoy of security forces patrolling along the border.” The military said it has asked Iran to “hunt down the terrorists on their side” but Iranian authorities had yet to respond to the request. In 2019, Iran and Pakistan said they would form a joint quick reac­tion force to combat militant activ­ity along the border but since then little has been reported about the force or its work. Pakistan has re­ported a spike in militant attacks in recent weeks, mostly linked to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan group that ended a ceasefire with the Pak­istani government in November.

The Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, a think tank in Islamabad, said Pakistan was targeted by 254 militant attacks in 2022.

Yesterday, President Alvi on be­half of the government and the people of Pakistan, felicitated Lead­er of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, on the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. In his message to the leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, the president said that the fra­ternal relations between Pakistan and Iran were rooted in linguistic, cultural, and religious bonds.

He said that Pakistan remained committed to further strengthening of these ties across the entire gam­ut of bilateral relations,President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release on Sunday.

The president conveyed his best wishes for Seyed Ali Khamenei’s health and happiness and for the continued progress, prosperity and well-being of the brotherly people of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also extended felicitations on be­half of the Government of Pakistan and its people to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iranian people on the observance of their National Day and the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolu­tion. In his felicitation message, the prime minister said Pakistan and Iran enjoyed strong brotherly relations which had been based upon the shared religious, historic and cultural ties.