By Usman Khan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office has condemned the incident at the Chaman border where 6 residents were killed and 17 wounded after Afghan border forces resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing on the civilian population.
Pakistan Foreign Office in a statement issued in Islamabad said such unfortunate incidents are not in keeping with the brotherly relations between the two countries. The Afghan officials have been informed that the recurrence of such incidents must be avoided, and possible action must be taken against those responsible.
Pakistan for protecting civilians
FO said that it remained the responsibility of both sides to protect civilians along the border. The concerned officials of both countries remain in contact to ensure that there is no further rise in the situation and repetition of such incidents is avoided. Afghan forces attacked a residential area at the Pak-Afghan Chaman border, which killed 6 people and left 17 injured on Sunday.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed the incident. They said that Afghan Forces opened unprovoked firing with heavy weapons, including artillery and mortar, onto the civilian population in the Chaman area. The ISPR said Pakistani FC troops had given a befitting and measured response against the uncalled-for aggression but avoided targeting innocent civilians in the area of Afghanistan.
It said that Pakistan has also approached Afghan government authorities in Kabul to highlight the situation and demanded strict action over the Chaman firing. Last month, a gunman shot a Pakistani FC person dead at the Pak-Afghan border crossing, leading to its closure for one week.
