Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Monday that the Chaman border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been reopened after the neighboring country apologized for the incident in which six Pakistani nationals were martyred and 17 injured.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the incident took place on Sunday when the Afghan border forces opened unprovoked and indiscriminate firing on a civilian area in Balochistan’s Chaman.
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Asif said that Afghanistan opened fire on civilians and in retaliation, Pakistan’s security forces targeted the neighboring country’s check post.
However, a Border Security Forces Committee has been formed to prevent such incidents. The minister also ruled out talks with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The defense minister also responded to Jamaat-e-Islami MNA Abdul Akbar Chitrali’s remarks, where he targeted Minister of State for External Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar.
He said that a person should be judged on his performance and not on the basis of gender. “The remarks were unnecessary.”
The JI minister claimed that Khar was sent to Afghanistan, but his visit had no positive impact.
Pakistan demands action.
The minister’s reaction came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the Chaman incident as “unfortunate” and asked the Afghan government to “ensure that such incidents do not happen again.”
The Prime Minister said that as a result of unprovoked shelling and firing by the Afghan border forces on Chaman, many Pakistani citizens were martyred and more than a dozen injured, which is unfortunate and deserves the strongest condemnation.
Unprovoked shelling & fire by Afghan Border Forces at Chaman resulting in martyrdom of several Pakistani citizens & injuring more than a dozen is unfortunate & deserves the strongest condemnation. The Afghan Interim government should ensure that such incidents are not repeated.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 12, 2022
In a press release, the Ministry of External Affairs (MOFA) also condemned the “unprovoked and indiscriminate firing” by Afghan forces on the civilian population.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in her statement that such sad incidents are not in accordance with the brotherly relations between the two countries.
🔊: PR NO. 5️⃣5️⃣8️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣2️⃣
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) December 11, 2022
Press Release
🔗⬇️https://t.co/cYfBVJ6jEW pic.twitter.com/ARu3lGw7k4
He said that the Afghan authorities have been informed to avoid repetition of such incidents and to take strictest action against those responsible.
The spokesman said that it is the responsibility of both sides to protect citizens on the border.
