Strong protest lodged with Taliban govt
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday conveyed to the Afghan Taliban’s interim government that it remains committed to maintaining fraternal relations with Afghanistan and that peace along the Pak-Afghan border is intrinsic to this end.
Pakistan lodged a strong protest with the Afghan Taliban’s interim government by summoning Afghanistan’s chargé d’affaires over recent incidents of unprovoked cross-border shelling by Afghan border security forces in the Chaman-Spin Boldak area.
“Afghan Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Pakistan’s strong condemnation over recent incidents of unprovoked cross-border shelling by Afghan border security forces in the Chaman-Spin Boldak area, resulting in loss of life, injuries, and damage to property, was conveyed,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said.
She said that it was reiterated that the protection of civilians remained the responsibility of both sides and that the recurrence of these incidents must be prevented.
“It was agreed to use established institutional mechanisms in this regard…Pakistan remains committed to maintaining fraternal relations with Afghanistan. Peace along the Pak-Afghan border is intrinsic to this end,” she added.
On Thursday, Afghan border forces once again resorted to indiscriminate shelling into Pakistani civilian population area along Chaman border which resulted in the killing of one person and injuries to 15 others. Pakistan forces also responded to the unprovoked cross-border shelling due to which the border crossing remained closed on Thursday.
However, it was reopened for the cross-border movement and trade activities on Friday after the two sides established contact and agreed to a ceasefire.
This was for the second time within a week that the Afghan border forces opened unprovoked and indiscriminate shelling, firing heavy weapons at the civilian area in Chaman along the Pakistan-Afghan border in which six people lost their lives and 17 got injuries.—ALI HUSSAIN
