MULTAN: Feb 20 1997: An Iranian diplomat and six Pakistanis were killed on Thursday when unidentified gunmen attacked the Iranian Cultural Centre here. Tehran immediately blamed the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) for the attack in a report carried by Iran's official IRNA radio station. However, Lashkar-i-Jhangavi, a splinter group of the SSP, owned up the attack. Diplomat Muhammad Ali Rahimi, who held the rank of consul and worked as the director at the cultural centre for three years, was shot dead along with six local employees by four gunmen, who stormed the centre, spraying bullets inside the building. An electrician in the building was also injured and was being treated at a local hospital.

The assailants overpowered a police guard when they entered the building and fled after firing in two cars, driven by other unidentified men, police said. "Four clean-shaven young men approached me at the gate and told me that they wanted to meet the director to get enrolled for Persian-language classes run by the centre," said police guard Ejaz Ahmed. "One of them threw handful of red chilli powder into my eyes, snatched my gun and pushed me to the ground," the constable told reporters. Ahmed, his eyes badly hurt, said that he did not see any weapon which the assailants might have concealed under the jackets worn by them. Zahir Hussain, a close friend of Rahimi who was sitting with the Iranian diplomat in his office when the firing started, said: "The diplomat asked me to go to the rear of the bungalow (which houses the centre) to see whether his wife and three children in the living quarters were safe. After seeing the family members, who were alright, I returned and saw the massacre."

Another report said that some 10 unidentified persons came in two motorcars which were decorated like a bridegroom convoy. Four of them went to the security personnel, who allowed them after getting confirmation by their high-ups. In the meantime, four other persons also entered the premises of the centre, by throwing chilly powder in the eyes of both the policemen on duty. They also snatched their rifles. Sensing the situation, security guard Faqir Muhammad intervened, but one of the four persons opened fire on him, killing him on-the-spot. By that time, the first group of terrorists reached the director's office and shot him dead. On their way back, two unidentified labourers and a driver, Habib Ahmed, security guard Raheem Dad and assistant librarian Habib Ahmed also came in the line of fire, resulting in their instant death. Later, all the armed men fled by resorting to aerial firing. A senior Iranian diplomat, Taqi Jamshedi, told reporters on arrival here from Islamabad that 'inadequate security' enabled 'terrorists' to target the centre. In an apparent sign of anger, the diplomat refused to ride in a vehicle arranged by the local administration as he left the airport to visit the centre, witnesses said. The police said that they had set up checkpoints on all exit routes and investigation by special teams was under way to trace the assailants. "This is the latest attack by the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP)," IRNA said.

The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Iranian centre, saying: "We have revenged the murder of our leader Maulana Ziaur Rehman Farooqi in a bomb blast in Lahore during the holy month of Ramazan." This was stated in a fax message received by the NNI news agency on a letterhead of the organisation, duly signed by its chief, Abu Qasim Malik Muhammad Ishaque, and another Saalar, Muhammad Riaz Basra. The letterhead contained a cellular phone number, which was working in Multan area. When the NNI called on the number, chief of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Abu Qasim replied on the mobile phone and boldly confessed that the attack was carried out by his organisation. While claiming to have avenged the death of Maulana Ziaur Rehman, Qasim threatened to continue the attacks. The commander, namely Riaz Basra, who sent the fax message, is a proclaimed offender in the murder case of Iranian Counselor General Aqa-e-Sadiq Ganji in Lahore, four years ago.

Iran summoned the Pakistani ambassador to protest the bloody attack, Iran's state television said. Khaled Mahmud was called to the Foreign Ministry to hear Iran's 'strong condemnation and protest'. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alaeddin Borujerdi accused Pakistani security officials of 'negligence' in their duty to protect Iranian missions in Pakistan. "If Pakistani officials had severely dealt with the murderers of Ganji seven years ago, we would not be witnessing a similar crime today," he said, referring to the 1990 murder of another Iranian diplomat in Lahore. "We expect the new Pakistan government to arrest and punish the culprits as soon as possible," Borujerdi said, blaming the SSP for the attack. The Pakistani envoy voiced regret over the 'shocking tragedy' and gave assurances of 'any action needed' to bring those responsible to justice, according to the Iranian state television.

Iran's ambassador to Islamabad, Muhammad Mehdi Akhundzadeh, condemned the 'terrorist' attack and called for the culprits to be arrested and punished. "Such blind acts of terrorism are directed by anti-Islamic elements unhappy with brotherly ties between Iran and Pakistan," he told the IRNA. "But such incidents cannot harm our historically deep relations," he added. The preliminary autopsy report of the bodies held in Nishtar Hospital on Thursday evening revealed that all the seven victims of the Khanae Farhang incident were hit in their heads. Meanwhile, it has been learnt that during autopsy of the bodies, a Compounder identified as Shamshad expired of cardiac arrest. He was so shocked to see the state of the bodies that he suffered heart failure. According to the sources here, the attackers who used automatic weapons in the attack were highly trained.

A Foreign Office sopokesman in a statement said that a special aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force will fly the body to Tehran. Mushahid Hussain has been nominated by the prime minister to accompany the body and to attend the funeral on behalf of the Government of Pakistan. The concerned authorities have been instructed to immediately investigate the act of terrorism and to quickly apprehend the criminals. Additional measures have been taken to enhance the security of the premises and personnel of the Iranian Embassy, consulates, and all other institutions. The spokesman said "The Government of Pakistan strongly condemns this act of terrorism. Whatever the motivations of the perpetrators, we will never allow anyone to disrupt our time-tested and fraternal relations with Iran." Meanwhile, President Farooq Ahmed Leghari and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have condemned the attack, calling it 'dastardly', and directed officials to track down those responsible for the loss of 'precious lives', said the Pakistan Television.

Inspector General of Punjab Police Chaudhry Muhammad Amin on Thursday said that they had got clue to the culprits involved in the firing incident at the Iranian Cultural Centre here. Talking to newsmen at the site of the incident, the IG said: "Although, we have traced the culprits involved in the firing, their names are being kept secret due to certain reasons." Expressing his sentiments over the incident, Amin said: "It was a brutal kind of killing. We all are ashamed over such a tragedy. Such an incident could never be committed by a real patriot as no real Pakistani could ever think of committing such a crime." He said that soon after he heard the news, he rushed to Multan from Lahore along with his highly-trained investigative team to hold an inquiry into the incident. The Punjab Police chief said that security arrangements throughout the province had been beefed up with special regard to southern Punjab. He said that he had already directed for meeting the shortage of police force in Multan. Around 250 policemen have been added to the existing police force in the district, he added.