ASADABAD: Pakistani security forces have fired hundreds of rockets into Afghanistan in recent days, killing a child and forcing hundreds to flee their homes, Afghan officials said on Sunday.
Fazilullah Wahidy, governor of the northeastern province of Kunar where the shelling happened, told AFP: “The shells were fired directly from Pakistani military posts and garrisons on that side of the border.” He said at least one boy was killed in the attacks.
Afghanistan’s interior ministry spokesman Siddiq Siddiqui did not specify who was behind the cross-border shelling but added: “We call on Pakistan, whoever is behind the attacks, to prevent it immediately.”
He said more than 340 rockets had been fired into Afghanistan over the past four days, mostly landing in villages and farmland in the province of Kunar.
Two mosques and dozens of houses had been damaged while about 50 families had to flee their homes, Siddiqui added.
In June, Afghanistan warned that cross-border attacks could threaten “improving trust and cooperation” between the neighbours unless Pakistan addressed the issue. Pakistan denies any official involvement in the incidents.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2011.
COMMENTS (12)
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US has given sanctuary to anti-Pakistan elements in Kunar province.
This is exactly what i had expected. Pakistan will escalate and escalate fast destabilizing Afghanistan through proxy war which the US then cannot leave just like that and as long as the US is there in Afghanistan the supply routes through Pakistan will be important. Even if the US redirects more of it supply through central asia Pakistani supply cannot be brought down to zero. So an inadequately supplied NATO in Afghanistan will not be able to stabilize the country under Pakistani proxy attack and hence cannot leave without loss of face. US cannot fight Pakistan like this without spending a hell lot of money for effectively nothing. No doubt Pakistan would suffer a lot but so would US. Pakistan also assumes that US will not declare a war against a nuclear Pakistan. Assuming that the US also thinks the same way from the point of view of the US some asymmetric strategy would be needed to blunt out the sharpness of this Pakistani strategy. And before i end i see somebody smiling and enjoying from the backstage. Is it the dragon ?
@Zaid Hamid: Seems now that the Americans (with Indian help?) will defeat..........
we shouled push afghanz back to their country let them re-bulid their country what are they doing here.
This is not the wisest thing to do from Pakistan. You shouldn't give a message to the US by firing rockets on villages.
And also to the 'commentators' who justify the shelling by the presence of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
@Zaid Hamid: LOL @ zaid hamid whereever u are ....hahaha
Here's a thing Pakistan does not waste ammo that easily, one bullet is for PKR 7.00. We don't waste our bullets, we don't waste our shells either. We economize and invest these bullets in High Value Targets only.
On the flip side, Afghans in Pakistan, ones without NIC cards are roaming the streets, doing good to our litter recycling industry. Come to think of it, Afgans in Pakistan are environmentally friendly too, as they pick up litter and arrange plastic, and cardboard which is sent off for recycling. We love Afghans, they keep our streets clean, we will never bomb them :)
Case being build for media trial and possible attack on Pakistan. When US is done using people and countries it destroys them. Pakistan wont be an exception.
We defeated Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
We should now send the Afghans back to their home land. They are a burden on Pakistan.
What are they complaining about? There are more afghans in Pakistan than in Afghanistan itself, When are these people leaving? How long has it been?
what a news tribune.com.PK !