Afghanistan warns Pakistan over cross-border shelling

Afghanistan on Sunday warned Pakistan any further cross-border shelling could significantly harm relations, just days after the leaders of the two strife-torn neighbours met for peace talks.
More than 300 heavy artillery shells and rockets were fired from Pakistan into Afghanistan’s Dangam district, eastern Kunar province Friday and Saturday, killing at least four people, provincial spokesman Wasifullah Wasifi told AFP.
Last month, a barrage of cross-border fire from Pakistan into Kunar forced thousands of villagers to flee their homes after Islamabad accused Kabul of protecting militants who infiltrated to kill 13 Pakistani soldiers.
Afghanistan and Pakistan typically blame each other for violence by Taliban militants plaguing both sides of their porous border.
Afghanistan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin Sunday summoned Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul to discuss the latest barrage of periodic shelling across the border known as the Durand Line, a foreign ministry statement said.
“Any continuation of such reported shelling against Afghan villages could have a significant negative impact on bilateral relations,” the statement quoted Ludin as telling ambassador Mohammad Sadiq.
Pakistan denied the claim and called it “incorrect”.
“Pakistani troops only respond to and engage militants from where they are attacked/fired upon,” said a senior military official in Islamabad.
Over last year he said at least 15 cross border attacks were carried out by militants against Pakistani check points and the civilian populations in northwestern towns Dir and Chitral.
Both sides agreed to hold a senior-level meeting of military officials soon in Afghanistan’s eastern city of Jalalabad over the shelling and improve military coordination along the Durand Line, the statement said.
President Hamid Karzai’s office said the issue was raised in a national security council meeting on Sunday and security officials were instructed “to put into place all due actions necessary.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, responding to a question at a news conference with Karzai on Thursday, said Pakistan was also attacked from Afghanistan and the issue had been raised in a meeting between the two leaders.
“From this side, from the Kunar side, we get attacks on our armed forces and our civilians… We have discussed all these things, and now we have to do our utmost… to control such happenings,” Ashraf said.