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DATE=10/3/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239639
TITLE=PAK / IRAN (L)
BYLINE=ALI ZAIDI
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  A PAKISTANI COURT HAS SENTENCED TO DEATH TWO RELIGIOUS 
EXTREMISTS ACCUSED OF MURDERING TWO IRANIAN ENGINEERS IN KARACHI 
EARLIER THIS YEAR. IRAN LAST WEEK CALLED HOME SEVERAL MEMBERS OF 
ITS EMBASSY STAFF FROM PAKISTAN, CITING SECURITY CONCERNS.  ALI 
ZAIDI REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD. 
TEXT:  THE TWO MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH SATURDAY ARE AMONG SEVEN 
SUSPECTS IN THE MURDER OF THE IRANIAN ENGINEERS. THE FIVE OTHER 
MEN ARE REPORTEDLY STILL AT LARGE.
THE IRANIAN ENGINEERS WERE GUNNED DOWN IN THE PORT CITY OF 
KARACHI LAST FEBRUARY WHILE WORKING ON A BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION 
PROJECT.  ALL THE SUSPECTS ARE SAID TO BELONG TO AN EXTREMIST 
SUNNI MUSLIM GROUP THAT HAS BEEN IMPLICATED IN SEVERAL OTHER 
CASES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST MEMBERS OF THE SHIITE MUSLIM MINORITY 
IN PAKISTAN. 
THE SUNNI GROUP ACCUSES SHIITE MAJORITY IRAN OF SUPPORTING ITS 
SHIITE OPPONENTS IN PAKISTAN.  VIOLENCE BETWEEN THE TWO SECTS HAS
CLAIMED HUNDREDS OF LIVES IN THE COUNTRY THIS YEAR, ALTHOUGH THE 
MILITANTS FORM ONLY A SMALL SECTION OF PAKISTAN'S OVERWHELMINGLY 
MUSLIM POPULATION.
ATTACKS AGAINST SHIITE IRANIANS IN PAKISTAN HAVE SOURED RELATIONS
BETWEEN TEHRAN AND ISLAMABAD. LAST YEAR FIVE IRANIAN CADETS 
ATTENDING TRAINING COURSES IN PAKISTAN WERE GUNNED DOWN BY SUNNI 
MILITANTS, AND IRANIAN DIPLOMATS HAVE BEEN ALSO BEEN TARGETED.
PAKISTAN FOREIGN OFFICE SPOKESMAN TARIQ ALTAF REVEALED SATURDAY 
THAT SEVERAL IRANIAN EMBASSY WORKERS RECALLED FROM ISLAMABAD BY 
TEHRAN LAST WEEK WERE  NOT  CALLED HOME DUE TO MONETARY 
CONSTRAINTS, AS ORIGINALLY EXPLAINED BY PAKISTAN.
                         // ALTAF ACT //
         WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE IRANIAN EMBASSY THAT THEY 
         HAVE SENT HOME SOME FAMILIES AND SOME NON-ESSENTIAL 
         STAFF.  IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED THAT THEIR SECURITY 
         CONCERNS HAVE PROMPTED THIS TEMPORARY MEASURE. WE WOULD 
         LIKE TO SHOW OUR UNDERSTANDING AND OUR RESPECT FOR THEIR
         DECISION.
                          // END ACT //
HOWEVER IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KAMAL KHARRAZI SPEAKING IN 
TEHRAN SAID THE RECALLED IRANIANS WERE DIPLOMATS.  HE SAID THE 
RECALLED DIPLOMATS WOULD RETURN WHEN THE SECURITY SITUATION IN 
PAKISTAN IMPROVED.
HOWEVER ANALYSTS SAY EVENTS IN NEIGHBORING AFGHANISTAN ARE ALSO 
LIKELY TO INFLUENCE THE TIMING OF THEIR RETURN.  TENSIONS BETWEEN
TEHRAN AND ISLAMABAD HAVE WORSENED IN RECENT MONTHS WITH THE 
RAPID ADVANCE OF THE MILITANT SUNNI TALEBAN MOVEMENT IN 
AFGHANISTAN.
IRAN ACCUSES PAKISTAN OF SUPPORTING THE TALEBAN, WHOSE FIGHTERS 
KILLED EIGHT IRANIAN DIPLOMATS IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN IN AUGUST.
THE TALEBAN ARE ALSO ALLEGED TO HAVE MASSACRED THOUSANDS OF 
SHIITES DURING THEIR MILITARY TAKEOVER OF THE AREA.
THE STANDOFF BETWEEN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAN HAS COINCIDED WITH AN 
ESCALATION IN SECTARIAN VIOLENCE WITHIN PAKISTAN.  ANALYSTS FEAR 
A MILITARY CONFRONTATION BETWEEN TEHRAN AND THE TALEBAN COULD 
PULL PAKISTAN INTO THE CONFLICT.
THE PAKISTAN FOREIGN OFFICE SPOKESMAN HINTED AT THAT POSSIBILITY 
SATURDAY, WARNING THAT ANY MILITARY ACTION WOULD RESULT IN 
"SERIOUS AND EVEN UNFORESEEN DIFFICULTIES IN THE REGION." 
(SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/KL
03-Oct-98 10:39 AM EDT (1439 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.