A tribesman was killed and three others injured in cross-border shelling in Lataka Macha Madakhel area of Datta Khel tehsil, North Waziristan on Saturday.
This is not the first time that shells fired from Afghanistan have targeted tribesmen, said a senior security official, adding that the region has been volatile since the day the war on terror started.
“The incursions are destabilising peace in these areas,” said the official. He added the deceased tribesman and his injured relatives were cutting trees in the mountains of Lataka when the attack took place.
This was the second incident in North Waziristan in the last 24 hours. Mortar shells were fired in Dandi Kach area of Speen Waam tehsil on Friday, the official said. However, no human casualty was reported because of the area’s sparse population. “Most of the mortar shells hit mountains around three kilometres from the border.”
According to a resident of Madakhel, 15 mortar shells were fired in the morning, after which they rushed to the place and shifted the dead and injured to Agency Headquarters Hospital (AHQ), Miranshah.
An AHQ official identified the injured as Haider Jan, Haji Sardar and Mehmood, while the deceased’s identity was not immediately clear.
On November 7, a woman was killed and a man injured when mortar shells fired by coalition forces from Afghanistan landed on houses in Datta Khel tehsil. A security official said they had lodged protests with the government against incursions in tribal areas.
The Pakistani government has repeatedly asked its Afghan counterpart to stop cross-border shelling and take action against those targeting security forces and civilians. The Afghan government, however, denies any involvement and blames Pakistan for violating border sovereignty.
Separately, two security officials were kidnapped by unidentified militants in Bangi Dar area on Friday morning. Locals said both personnel were having tea at a hotel when armed men in a vehicle surrounded the café and kidnapped them.
According to Bangi Dar residents, both kidnapped officials were taken to Afghanistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2012.
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@Subhash Sharma: Like Karzai you have also gone nuts. What made you think that Sudhir is not my real name. May be Subhash Sharma is not your real name and that might have prompted you to think that way about my name too.
When a Nation is incapable of defending its people for murderers within how will it possibly defend them from those outside?
It is surprising that today the time has come when even countries like Afghanistan are trying to bully us. Our pathetic government has led us to a point where we aren't even in a position to defend National interest. Surrender after surrender... and utter failure to challenge US (particularly on things like the US-India nuke deal while they harp on about Iran and the offer by lockheed with US permission to sell them better F16's than us)... we have suffered quite a betrayal and as an analyst though I have been advised against it I will say I am 100% sure about one thing. When this war is over we are going to be abandoned. History is proof of this. When we were not needed after the Afghan-Soviet war the Americans imposed the Presler Amendment (Research this if you don't know) which banned military aid to us. They also turned a blind eye to Indian nuke tests in 74 but when we tested one in response their hair were on fire, The list goes on... and every American I have spoken to has no response because using Nations is what they do.
Look at India, at least they were brainy enough to pick the right ally. I am also extremely worried about the F16's on order. Their sales were on hold during the period between Soviet War and War on Terror despite the fact we had paid for them. That period is coming again.
@Subhash Sharma: There are 7 Million Hindus in Pakistan and there is nothing surprising about having a Sikh or Hindu sounding name for a Pakistani. At least that is what we are hoping. Nationalism is for everyone and should not be defined by Mullahs and Jihadis. Our biggest issue we have made Nationalism and religion one. They are not one.
@Sudhir: couple of points :- 1. Sudhir is not your real name, it is just a facade. 2. Aap karen to Raas Leela, hum karen (ie Afghanistan in this case) to character dheela.
With the American and NATO backing, Afghanistan and its rulers have lost the rationality and have become aggressive and arrogant towards Pakistan. Foreign troops will ultimately leave There after the short sighted rulers of Afghanistan will have to pay the price for their arrogance.