Shaikh Abdol-Hamid Condemns Shooting Fuel Traders in Saravan

Alluding to the firing at fuel sellers by Iranian border guards in Sistan-Baluchistan/Saravan on Monday February 22, 2021 that left a number of Baloch young men martyred and wounded, Shaikh Abdol-Hamid strongly condemned the incident and called it against the Islamic and national laws.

The most influential Iranian Sunni leader said in his message: “Martyrdom and killing of a group of fuel sellers at the Saravan’s border hurt everyone’s feelings.

Mawlana Abdol-Hamid continued: “Unfortunately, most people of the province are suffering from poverty and economic situation; they are in the worst economic conditions. Due to the unemployment, many people in the province are forced to buy and sell fuel”.

“Selling of fuel is not a crime or smuggling, rather it’s one of the means of income through which thousands of families make a living”, said the Friday prayer leader of Sunnis in Zahedan.

President of Darululoom Zahedan quoted the supreme leader’s view on Baloch’s kolbars (workers buy and sell across the borders by piggyback): “My aim to fight the smugglers isn’t the weak Baloch kolbar; these things are not important, even no matter if they are ignored”.

“Governments have a duty to plan for the sustenance of people so that no one is forced to choose hazardous jobs”, Shaikh Abdol-Hamid further said.

He added “Undoubtedly, this common border belongs to all and its benefits should reach the deprived people of this region not to those who make billions of profits from this border through mega trades of fuel”.

The Iranian eminent Sunni scholar said: “I strongly condemn this crime and I call on the authorities to punish the perpetrators behind this painful incident as soon as possible”.

At the end of his statement while expressing his sympathy with the families of the victims, Shaikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdol-Hamid said: “I call on the dear people (of Sistan-Baluchistan) to remain calm and pursue legal means in order to bar misuse of this incident.”