Pakistan protests to Afghanistan over cross-border militant attack

Ambassador Mosazai summoned to Foreign Office to lodge protest as 4 Pakistani soldiers killed in attack

PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD: Four Pakistani troops were killed and as many wounded when Afghanistan-based militants attacked a military check post with rockets in Khyber Agency on Sunday, prompting a strong diplomatic protest from Islamabad.

“According to reports, rounds fired from [the] Afghanistan side by terrorists hit an 8,000-feet-high Pakistani post in Akhandwala Pass,” says a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistani military.



“Four Pakistan Army soldiers embraced shahadat [martyrdom] and four others were injured,” it added. “Pakistani troops gave a matching response and succeeded in eliminating the group of terrorists.” The military did not give
further details.

The bodies of the soldiers — identified as Imran, Ijazuddin, Muzaffar Shah and Yaseen — were flown to Peshawar from where they will be sent to their native villages and towns for burial. The four injured soldiers — Ajab Gul, Yousaf, Ashraf and Sikandar — were airlifted to Peshawar where they were admitted to the Combined Military Hospital.

The cross-border attack by militants capped weeks of incriminatory statements from Kabul, blaming Pakistan for the recent uptick in violence in Afghanistan. Tensions have been running high between the two neighbours since the Taliban called off Pakistan-brokered talks with the Ashraf Ghani administration following the confirmation of the death of their long-time elusive leader Mullah Omar.

Angered by the death of four Pakistani soldiers in the cross-border attack, the Foreign Office summoned Afghan Ambassador Janan Mosazai to register a ‘strong protest’.

Ambassador Mosazai was asked to urge his government to investigate the incident and share the findings with the Pakistan government, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office. “Such incidents do not augur well for the positive trajectory of relations the two sides have been able to achieve after sustained efforts.”

Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah said Pakistan fully condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and was willing to collaborate with Afghanistan to fight the common enemy. “However, the attacks against our military personnel are unacceptable,” he added.

Ambassador Mosazai was also requested to urge his government to ensure the safety and security of the staff at Pakistan’s embassy and consulates and Pakistani diaspora in Afghanistan.

The Afghan envoy said he would convey the message to the concerned authorities and look into this. He expressed his condolences on the killing of Pakistani soldiers. He also reiterated that Afghanistan attaches great importance to the security of Pakistani personnel and instructions in this regard had already been issued by the Afghan government to enhance their security.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2015.