ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday summoned Afghan envoy Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal and lodged protest over the death of an army major in shelling by the Afghan forces.
Major Ali Jawad Khan, who was injured in cross-border firing at Torkham border on Saturday, died of wounds in a military hospital in Peshawar on Tuesday. Both sides started trading fire after Afghan government raised objections at the construction of a gate ‘inside’ its territory.
“Foreign Secretary Mr Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary called in Afghan Ambassador Hazrat Omar Zakhilwalto the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today to lodge Pakistan’s strong protest over the martyrdom of Major Jawad, an officer of Pakistan Army, who was injured on 13 June due to unprovoked firing by Afghan security forces at Torkham border crossing,” a statement issued by the Foreign Office said.
“The Afghan government was urged to take immediate steps to bring this unprovoked firing to an end. The foreign secretary rejected allegations coming from Afghanistan that the construction works being undertaken by Pakistan were violation of the agreements and understandings reached between the two countries. It was reiterated that these works are being undertaken on Pakistani side and were started after the two sides had agreed on them during the meetings held last month.”
The foreign secretary stressed that the Pakistani side was undertaking construction works on its side to regulate movements of people as well as vehicles with the prior agreement of the Afghan government.
He expressed concern over the continued firing by the Afghan forces for last few days with a view to disrupt the construction works aimed at strengthening effective border management.
Underscoring the importance of border management for strengthening mutual security and checking infiltration of terrorists and militants, the Aizaz Ahmad emphasised the need for resolving this issue through constructive engagement.
