Pakistan summons senior Afghan diplomat over repeated cross-border clashes

Pakistan on Friday summoned a senior Afghanistan diplomat over repeated cross-border clashes. According to an official statement, the Afghan Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad was called to the foreign ministry and Pakistan's ''strong condemnation'' was conveyed over the recent incidents of unprovoked cross-border shelling that resulted in the loss of lives, injuries and damage to property.

"It was reiterated that protection of civilians remained the responsibility of both sides and that recurrence of these incidents must be prevented," Pakistan's foreign ministry added.

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Pakistan and Afghanistan have had territorial disputes for decades and border tensions between the two countries have been on the rise after the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year.

Last Sunday, eight Pakistani civilians and one Afghan soldier were killed in cross-border shelling and gunfire near the Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing, which is a key trade route and the second busiest crossing between the two countries, a report by news agency Reuters said.

And on Thursday, clashes erupted again near the same crossing resulting in one death and over a dozen injuries. The fighting started when Pakistani forces repairing a portion of the border fence damaged on Sunday came under attack from the Afghan side, according to a provincial official.

(With inputs from agencies)

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