Give tit-for-tat response to Pakistan, MPs tell govt

KABUL on Tuesday criticized Pakistani forces attacks on eastern Kunar province and urged a diplomatic solution or a tit-for-tat response.

However, Presidential Palace spokesman said the government has not been silent against Pakistan’s such illegally acts and had registered complaints with the United Nations in this regard.

Hundreds of people have suffered causalities and as a result of Pakistani forces shelling into Kunar, Nangarhar and Khost province over the past few years.

A number of parliament members say Pakistani forces started rocket shelling after Afghan forces stopped them from fencing the Durand Line were killed and four others including women and children were injured.

Safiullah Hashemi, an upper house member from Samangan province, told today’s session of the Senate, “Pakistan instead of helping Afghanistan in the current situation, assaults it, Pakistan always had a dual-faced behavior towards Afghanistan.”

He condemned Pakistani shelling into Nari district of Kunar and said aggression form the neighboring country should be stopped through diplomatic channels.

“If the problem is not solved through peaceful channels, then the Afghan government should give a similar response to the aggression,” he said.

Hasibullah Kalimzai, a senator from Maidan Wardak province, said that the upper house should appoint a delegation for assessing the situation in Nari district. “This time, Pakistani forces not only fired rockets, but planned to enter Afghanistan territory, an attempt frustrated by Afghan forces”, he said.

Mohammad Alam Ezdyar, first deputy chairman of the house, who chaired session, condemned Pakistani forces shelling and said, “We strongly support our forces, particularly our border soldiers who stand against Pakistani aggression.”

He said a delegation of Meshrano Jirga would visit Nari district and evaluate the situation there.

“We criticize the government’s silence over the issue, why it does not show a reaction to Pakistani forces shelling into Afghanistan,” he said.

 He asked the government to resolve the problem through diplomatic ways or give a similar response to Pakistani forces.

However, Seddiq Seddiqi, a spokesman of the Presidential Palace, told Pajhwok that the government had always raised its voice against illegal activities of Pakistan and even shared the rocket shelling issue with the United Nations.

He said beside government’s reaction, the issue was also under process in the UN.

Mds/ma