PESHAWAR – A Pakistani delegation comprising religious clerics and tribalelders left for Afghanistan on Monday to calm down the situation flared upafter shelling incidents at the Chaman border.
Nine Pakistanis were killed and over two dozen injured in two separateincidents of unprovoked shelling by the Afghan border forces on civilianpopulation in the bordering area on the Pakistani side in less than a week.
The 16-member Jirga entered Afghanistan via the Chaman border crossing tohold talks with Afghan Taliban. The members of the delegation told mediathat they would try to convince the Afghan Taliban to avoid such attacks inthe future. They said disputes should be resolved through dialogue.
Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Afghan Chargéd’Affaires in Islamabad and issued strong condemnation over recentincidents of unprovoked cross-border shelling by Afghan Border SecurityForces in the Chaman-Spin Boldak area.
The foreign office, in a statement, said the shelling resulted in loss oflife, injuries and damage to property on the Pakistani side.
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“It was reiterated that protection of civilians remained the responsibilityof both sides and that recurrence of these incidents must be prevented. Itwas agreed to use established institutional mechanisms in this regard,”reads the statement.
At least one person was killed and over dozen injured after Afghar borderforces targeted civilian population in Chaman area on Friday. This wassecond incident in less than week as eight people were martyred and severalothers wounded in an attack on Sunday.