Cross-border attacks: Protest staged near Pakistani Embassy in Kabul

Pakistan lodged an official protest yesterday over a recent cross-border attack from the Afghan side

ISLAMABAD: As many as 500 Afghan nationals on Thursday organised a protest near the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul, demanding a halt to alleged rocket attacks in the eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan, sources in the neighbouring country said.

The campaigners, lead by Engineer Gul Agha Hussaini, among others, threatened to extend their protest to other Pakistani consulates in Afghanistan if no action was taken by Islamabad.

Afghan sources in Kabul told The Express Tribune on phone that it was a government-sponsored protest, yet Afghan security forces stopped them from advancing towards the Embassy premises.

Cross-border attacks have increased tensions between the two uneasy neighbours in recent days.

On Wednesaday, Pakistan lodged protest with Afghanistan over a recent cross-border attack from the Afghan side that killed at least four paramilitary troops in North Waziristan.

Islamabad says that leaders of the Pakistani Taliban have crossed into Afghanistan and now operate from there.