Durand Line clash: Pakistan asked to prevent ‘provocative acts’

KABUL (Pajhwok): Reacting to yesterday’s clash on the Durand Line, the Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday asked Pakistan to prevent ‘provocative acts’ that lead to violence

A clash broke out between Afghan and Pakistani border forces on Sunday when Afghan forces wanted to set up a post in Shero Oba area near the Durand Line on the southern side of Spin Boldak district of southern Kandahar province and the Pakistani forces prevented their move.

Afghan officials say 10 Afghan security guards were injured and one was killed and three civilians were also injured in firing from the Pakistani side. While Pakistani officials say seven civilians were killed and several others wounded on their side.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday strongly condemned the firing by Afghan Border Forces on civilian population in Balochistan’s Chaman district and called on the interim government in Kabul to ensure that such incidents were not repeated in the future.

In a press conference later in the day, the prime minister reiterated his condemnation of the incident and said he was summoning a meeting to review the situation.

He said the government would fully try to sort out matters and demanded that Afghanistan take action to stop such events.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote on his Twitter today (Monday) that ‘a sad incident’ took place yesterday on the Spin Boldak-Chaman road between Afghanistan and Pakistan, causing  casualties to both sides.

He regretted the repetition of such incidents, saying the Islamic Emirate was seriously trying to prevent such incidents. “We also request the government of Pakistan to pay serious attention to preventing such provocative actions that lead to violence and negatively impact relations between the two countries”.

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