Ten civilians die, 45 hurt in cross border Afghan firing in Chaman - FINANCIAL-24
- ABP had been creating hurdles in conduct of census since April 30;
- Nawaz, others condemn grave incident of firing by Afghan forces;
- Frontier Corps, Levies give befitting response to Afghan aggression
- Hotline contact established between Pak-Afghan DGMOs: ISPR;
- FO summons Afghan envoy Yousafi to protest over firing mishap;
- Pakistan closes border with Afghanistan after firing by their forces
CHAMAN: At least ten civilians were martyred while 45 were injured including women and children in an unprovoked firing and shelling from Afghan side of the border in Chaman area early Friday.
Pakistani authorities have closed the Chaman border crossing with Afghanistan to stop all cross border movement after unprovoked shelling and firing from the other side of the border.
Four Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan personnel were also among the injured.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistan Army media wing, Afghan Border Police opened fire on FC Balochistan personnel who were deployed in the area to provide security to the Population Census team.
The statement further added that since 30th April, the Afghan Border Police had been creating hurdles in conduct of census in two villages of Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir in Chaman area, on Pakistani side of the border.
The statement also added that Afghan authorities had been informed in advance about the ongoing census.
Moreover, the cross-border shelling and firing was reportedly started around 4:00am, in which the Afghan forces used light and heavy weapons.
Frontier Corps and Levies personnel reached the spot and giving a befitting response to Afghan forces' aggression. The exchange of fire is still ongoing in the area, sources said.
The sources further said one of the mortar shell fired from Afghan side hit a house in village bordering Afghanistan, injuring seven people including two women and three children.
All the injured were rushed to district hospital where at least two injured who sustained serious injuries referred to hospital at Quetta.
In aftermath of the abrupt attack by Afghan forces, security at Quetta-Chaman road has been beefed up to prevent any possible terror movement. However, the identification of injured and dead could not be established.
Pakistan army said on Friday that border with Afghanistan has been closed after firing by Afghan forces killed at least nine people and injured many.
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif condemned the grave incident of firing by Afghan Border Police at Pakistan-Afghanistan border. In a statement, he expressed his profound grief and sorrow over the loss of precious human lives injuries caused to the civilian and personnel of Law Enforcement agencies.
Terming the incident as most unfortunate, the PM said that recurring of such incidents is contrary to our efforts for achieving peace and stability in the region. The PM further said that it is the responsibility of Afghan government to ensure that such incidents are permanently stopped.
Nawaz extended his heartfelt condolences and sympathies with the affected families and directed the concerned authorities for treatment of the injured.
The Director Generals of Military Operations of both armies also established hotline contact ahead of the flag meeting.
The Army said Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza had condemned Afghan forces' unprovoked firing on Pakistani villagers and security forces while underlining to his Afghan counterpart that the Pakistani forces and civilians who had been attacked were well within Pakistani territory when assaulted.
He also asked the Afghan DGMO to limit their forces to their own side of the border and defuse the situation.
The Foreign Office (FO) also summoned the Afghan chargé d'affaires to lodge a protest against the cross-border attack.
The chargé d'affaires was told that the "unprovoked firing by Afghan forces had led to the loss of lives, disrupted the census in areas on the Pakistan side of the border and caused damage to properties," a statement released by the FO said.
The FO urged the Afghan government to take action against those responsible for the violation.
FO Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria during a weekly briefing in Islamabad also confirmed that Afghan authorities had been informed about the on-going census exercise.
Zakaria said that the census team "was fulfilling its duties in the area and the exercise was taking place within the jurisdiction of Pakistan."
It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan had closed its borders with Afghanistan at Chaman and Torkham on February 18 by lodging a protest with neighbouring country after a series of terrorist attacks in the country, killing over 100 people and the militants taking sanctuaries in Afghanistan were blamed for the attacks.
The border closure resulted in massive economic loss and affected Afghan trade enormously. After over a month of closure, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had ordered the reopening of the borders as a goodwill gesture.
Hotline contact was established between Director General Military Operations of Pakistan and Afghanistan over the issue of unprovoked firing by Afghan forces at Chaman Border area, according to DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor.
At least nine civilians including three children and two women were killed and 46 others injured in the unprovoked firing and shelling by Afghan forces near a major border crossing where Pakistani census officials were carrying out a count.
Pakistan Army's Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza condemned unprovoked firing on Pakistani villagers and security forces which caused casualties in villages at Pakistan side of the Chaman Border.
He told Afghan DGMO that there are civilians residing in villages situated on both sides of Pak-Afghan. Afghan DGMO acknowledged that border is in between villages and not at the ditch which is well inside Pakistan as being perceived by them.
Maj-Gen Mirza told his counterpart that the villages are divided i.e. situated on both sides but Pakistan forces and civilians are on own side of the border.
Afghan Director General Military Operations acknowledged that border is in between villages and not at the ditch which is well inside Pakistan as being perceived by them.
He asked the Afghan forces to stay on their side of the border and defuse the situation. Major General Sahir Mirza told his counterpart that they shall continue their work within their border.
ISPR told that a local commander's level Border Flag meeting is in progress after the hotline. Afghan DGMO agreed to take up the matter and issue necessary orders accordingly. - NNI
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