A Pakistani flag flies on top of a Pakistani check post at the Goshta district of Nangarhar province, where Afghanistan shares borders with Pakistan. PHOTO: REUTERS
Two Pakistani soldiers were injured while an Afghan security official was killed in exchange of firing along the border of Mohmand Agency, officials from both sides confirmed.
Two Pakistani soldiers were injured as they reacted to the sudden firing started by the Afghan forces at Pakistani posts late Wednesday night, a Pakistani security official told The Express Tribune.
One Afghan border soldier, Qasim Khan, was killed while three others were injured spokesman for Ningarhar Governor Ahmad Zia Abdulzai confirmed on Thursday.
Body of the soldiers was paraded in the city before he was buried, an Afghan journalist, Babrak Miankhel told The Express Tribune from Jalalabad.
Afghan government has sent a delegation to investigate the recent clash at the Pak-Afghan borderand to specifically determine how the clash started, Abdulzai said.
The delegation includes two members of the parliament from the region and Deputy Governor Hanif Gardewal, the spokesman said.
He further said it is not yet clear how the clash started and avoided more comments saying that he will give more details when the delegation returns from Goshti area, bordering Pakistan.
Correspondents in the eastern Jalalabad said that some people staged a demonstration against ‘Pakistani firing” in the city.
The clash reportedly arose on construction of a check post.
Afghan media quoted an official claiming that the Afghan troops had “destroyed constructions done by Pakistani forces”.
While Pakistan army had earlier maintained that the issue of the construction of a check post had been amicably resolved.
However, Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman, Janan Yousafzai, had told The Express Triune last week that the construction was still standing.
Some Afghan officials also claimed that the Nato troops had been aware of the alleged Pakistani constructions but had not informed them.
Afghan authorities insist that Pakistan should have informed them before any construction along the joint border has to be started.
The Director General Military Operations (DGMO) from Afghan National Army had earlier visited Pakistan to discuss the volatile situation at the border when instances of unannounced firing had escalated in January. It was decided that such instances would be kept in check.
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here is an article written by an indian and he clealry says in the 5th paragraph that international community considers kashmir as a disputed territory http://hinduism.about.com/od/history/a/Kashmir-Paradise-Lost_2.htm
kuldeep sharma !!! well thats the problem with indians that they dont accept even simple facts!!! if UN doesnt consider it as a disputed area then why line of control was drawn? do you consider line of control as an international boundary ? UN security council resolution 47 resolution sclearly says that fate of kashmir should b decided by a plebscite !!! kashmir is a disputed area between pakistan , india and china and everyone knows it !!!!
@irfan Seems to me you have only read Local media. Kashmir is not a disputed region, UN resolution stats that there should be peace & its allow India to maintain its forces to sustain peace. Also it was requested from our side by Mr. Nehru.
Gulam Rasool"Kuldeep sharma" New Delhi
@Ezatullah Khan Ahmadzai: what about the afghan refuges who went to iran. they were not even allowed to enter iran and now they have become drug addicts but we are the one who welcomed you all with open hearts and still respect you guys a lot so change your perception against Pakistan we know what we have done for you
Karzai is facing charges of receiving $$$$. In politics it is called "Diversionary War Tactics"..shifting domestic pressure to show border issue, so Afghans forget real problem. Historically Durand is being used as a core strategy by all Afghan rulers to gain some support, while they know Waziris/ Afridis never liked Durrani rule and in fact fought back all time Afghan soldiers by their own.
ok ahmadzai brother i appreciate your thoughts....i wish there were more afghanis like you
mr kakar dont talk from your stomach? which surveys say pakistanis are the most hated people around the world? as far as i know americans are considered as most hated people of the world!!!
ahmedzai !!! you are wrong again!!! kashmir is considered as a disputed area by UNITED NATIONS resolutions !!! dont compare kashmir issue with that of afghanistan and actually we are not worried about it at all..this issue has never been a part of our politics and majority of us pakistanis dnt even consider it as a serious issue...its afghanis who always raise this issue for their own political interests...afghanis very well know that majority of us pakistani pakhtoons are loyal to pakistan but they still keep dreaming about loy afghanistan !!!
Well, the bottom line is that a prosperous region is in the best interests of all. These conflicts and hatreds have never paid off. If you refer to the history of the world, interventions, undemocratic behavior, hatred, and other malpractices have adversely affected societies. Do you have any idea how much your country is spending on military affairs? If your country starts spending half of it on education, energy, gender equality, economic development, infrastructure, and other developmental projects, your country will become a heaven and then non of your countrymen will feel a need to escape from its motherland, non of them will have to serve Arabs and others anymore. The same applies to us and everyone else. There is a popular proverb and that is that democracies do not go to wars. If you want to ensure your safety, instead of spending you resources on military, spend them on strengthening democracy and institutions. We should do the same. Look my dear friends, we are important elements of our societies. Beside having rights in our civic society, we have some obligations as well. We never forget about our rights but we often ignore and forget about our obligations. If our government or other state institutions are conducting a wrong business, it is our moral, ethical and social duty to bring them on track. So lets, for one more time, have a look at ours and our society's conducts and decide what to do after reconsidering the ground realities. Now Cheers!!!
ahmadzai!!! on one side you are advising us about respecting international laws and on the other side u consider durand line as a disputed land? whole world accpets the border between pakistan and afghanistan and if you guys have any problem with that then its you who are not respecting international laws!!! dont b a hypocrite !!!
@ ahmad zai !!! on one side you are advising us to respect international laws and on the other side u r considering durand line as a a disputed land? whole world accepts the border between pakistan and afghanistan and if u have some kinda problem with that then actually you are not respecting international laws and boundaries !!!!
Although there is a huge amount of hatred for the Pakistani estbalishment and government in Afghanistan, but there is a same level of love for the Pakistani Civilian people. This is very obvious that the pakistani establishment is killing its own people for the sake of vicious faiths they have as their politics. If you see the recent surveys around the world, Pakstanis are among the most hated people of the world, this is of course not because of the Pakistani population but because the establishment in Pakistan is following the principles that is victimizing and endangering the safet of the whole world including Pakistanis. Imagine how good it would be if your country Pakistan with massive population would have good relationship with India, Afghanistan, U.S, Iran, but unfortunately your people and the administration as a whole is being misused for through fanatism under the name of religion which indeed has defamed the holy religion of Islam across the world.
Things will only change if the people of Pakistan accept these realities and blame their government for all the violations they are making against their neighbors and specially Afghanistan
@ Mr. AR
We did live there. And we still appreciate your help and are thankful to you for that. We do respect our Pakistani neighbors for being good and cool. But don't forget that you also got benefited from us. Have you measured the development of your province from 1980 till to-date. Afghans were the major investors and spenders during those times. Do you have any idea how much your provincial and federal government received on our account? How many NGOs were there in your province that existed for Afghans? How many employment opportunities they provided to you? How much did they pay as rents on your property? How much value of your property increased during that time? Peshawar was a like a desert before our arrival and turned out to be a heaven in less than two decades due to us. Don't forget about our contribution to your country's development. You were as ignored and deprived as Baluchistan. So, thanks God and thanks us that today you are relatively more developed than Baluchistan. Or Pakhtoonkhwa would have been a desert now.
@ Afzaal Khan
I don't want to get personal with you, and to argue with you, but you really lack some quality education. Please refer back to the international laws on various aspects such as water rights, transit rights, human rights, etc. If you want to be on the map, respect international laws or be prepared for isolation.
@ Afzaal Khan
You know Durrand is a disputed area. It can be resolved through political will from both sides. To have that will, it is important that your government has a full control over the foreign policy. Afghanistan isn't occupied by anyone. Existence of NATO is the heartily wish of our people who are fed up of the civil wars and our neighbors' interventions. Don't forget that you were the ones who facilitated NATO/ISAF after 9/11 to enter our country. I consider their existence a legitimate one, as I and my countrymen are in the favor of it. Don't forget the ground realities of Pakistan either. I know how many CIA's agents are there in your country without proper documentations. You, the people of Pakistan, and your government didn't even know how many strategic bases your Army had provided to them. The world isn't blind anymore. Through the media, today, everyone knows what is going on in which part of the world. Time has reached that we stop stupid statements and be realistic. And be futuristic. A future which is in the best interests of the region, both Pak and Afg. If your country didn't change your policy, one day you will pay the ultimate prices, not us. Due to such policies, you lost Bangladesh. And if you keep going, what else you will give away. One last advice, Please never forget about the history of a nation. When you are reading that tiny book of your country's history, don't forget that ours is far bigger than your, which is full of patriotism, victories, and some ups and downs. Don't forget that we have always kicked our enemies at their backs. We consider you our brothers and friend and we expect you to treat us on the basis of equality and respect.
Pakistan is second Israel for Afghanistan- Afghan people have suffered for nearly 40 years because Pakistan's devilish policy towards Afghanistan. Our innocent kids, women, elders everyday being killed by the Pakistani terrorists.
@Ezatullah Khan Ahmadzai
Errr isin't your country occupied by NATO? Here is my solution, since Pakistan is so bad, lets agree, we will mine the whole border with Afghanistan, lets have no diplomatic/trade relation. U mind ur business we mind our own, Agree?
@AR: Afgan depends on u geat joke :-) lol u know ur economy run on donation
So are Pakistani newspapers now allowed into Afghanistan? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Od the news is carried by bullets?
Pakistani government should take the foreign policy in its hands. Afghanistan wants good relations with all its neighbors but, at the same time, we do know how to defend our land. We should put a full stop to militancy, double standard policies, and illegitimate interventions. If Pakistan has stake in Afghanistan, it should approach our government and people and should solve it through proper diplomatic and social means, not through militancy. Today, we are witnessing regional blocks and cooperation everywhere in the world but, unfortunately, our region is further divided and we get distanced from each other. We, the people of both countries, can play a positive role in this regard. Time has reached to stop listening to our intelligence agencies and start supporting and empowering our political structure. In addition, media can also play a positive role in bringing the two nations together. I often witness Pakistani media outlets that speak on behalf of ISI and Pak army, which isn't good for the health of both countries.
The only solution is to send back all Afghanis, seal borders with Afghanistan, cancel Afghan transit agreement and let India come to their help or give them refuge in India. These afgahns depend on us for almost everything, their generations have grown in Pakistan, there is hardly any Afghan who never lived and benefited from Pakistan and consequently destroyed oue economy, yet they never miss any chances to damage our country and praise India.Once kicked out of our country, they'll realize their value.
@Mohammad Ali ....You wont see real friendship between Pakistan and Afghan Govt at all. Same as between India and Pakistan.
In this case, Pak Army have attacked Afghan Soil and made a checkpoint there so ofcourse Afghans gonna defend it.
I personally, as an Afghan take Pakistani people (not ISI, Army or Pak Govt) as my brothers.
Rest is up to you.
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: "On both sides of Pakistani borders viz. Afghanistan and India, Pakistan is facing two enemies. One from the front and other at the back."
When someone has problems with many friends, typically, that someone is the problem. That's what I've been taught growing up.
This report is derived from a single source. This needs to be cross-checked. Its surprising to see that no one talks about the border gates which has been built by Pakistani military inside the soil of Afghanistan undermining the international laws.
Also, sources from the field confirm the the firing began from the Pakistani side when Afghan army had been paroling the area inside the Afghan soil.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324485004578423000161386678.html
haha two injured? I saw two dead and one handcuffed with my own eyes, hypocrites
Pakistan should not provoke us.
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui:
With a "friend" like Pakistan, who needs enemies?
We will care about Afganistan
Afghanistan is very dengerious for pakistan
Afghanistan is not a friend of Pakistan.
Zia-ul-Haq made a mistake by accommodating Afghan National in Pakistan during Soviet invasion on Afghanistan.
And there are many Afghan nationals who have now become Pakistani nationals. Their children speak Urdu as good as any Pakistani can speak.
On both sides of Pakistani borders viz. Afghanistan and India, Pakistan is facing two enemies. One from the front and other at the back.
My 1st instinct - it was Pakistan vs India. Thank God it is not.