Compiled by: Sahar Yaghoubi
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that the interim administration in Kabul had apologized to Pakistan for Afghan Border Forces shooting on civilians in the Chaman area of Balochistan the previous day and that the “issue has been handled.”
According to the military’s public relations branch, at least seven people were killed and 16 others were injured when Chaman came under “unprovoked and indiscriminate” heavy gunfire and artillery bombardment by Afghan border troops on Sunday.
The event has been denounced throughout Pakistan’s political spectrum.
Asif said today at a session of the National Assembly that the “provocation at Chaman came from the Afghan side.”
“A part of the fence was broken […] our employees were fixing it […] they hit the barrier with a vehicle […] they argued that the fence repair work should have been forwarded to the border security committee.
“When the situation worsened, they began firing. In the first exchange of fire, there were no injuries. Later, when they fired heavy gunfire […], five of our citizens were killed, and two more died on route to Quetta,” he said.
Asif said that in reaction, Pakistan fired on the Afghan position, resulting in the deaths of eight to nine Afghan troops.
“Thereafter, the border security committee convened again, and it was determined that Afghanistan was at fault […] we feel there was no motivation […] there is no proof that the assault was planned.”
The minister said that Afghan officials had confessed their error and pledged to prevent such instances in the future.
Asif emphasized, however, that Afghanistan’s internal condition is evident in its dealings with Pakistan.
Adding that Pakistan wished Afghanistan well and wanted the situation there to improve, he said, “We would work wholeheartedly for Afghan peace.”
