The director of public relations at the Iranian Consulate in Peshawar (NWFP) was shot dead by an unidentified gunman on Thursday, November 12, 2009. Abu Abbas Jaffri, a Pakistani citizen, was on his way to the consulate when a gunman opened fire at him and ran away.

The firing left Jaffri seriously wounded and he died while being rushed to the hospital. No one could see the attacker well-enough to be identified and remembered by face. The police found shell casings from the crime scene. Iran’s Foreign Ministry’s spokesman has urged on Pakistan to act seriously in protecting the Iranian consulate and its staff working in Pakistan.

The motive of the attack is not known for sure but it is speculated that the attack may be directed at fueling the budding tension between Iran and Pakistan over the issue of cross-border militancy that started last month with a suicide bombing attack in southeastern Iran. Also, a year ago an Iranian diplomat was abducted in Peshawar and is still missing. Pakistan has condemned the attack and said the culprits would be brought to justice.