- PM Nawaz condemns firing, asks Afghan govt to stop such incidents permanently
Minister for Interior Affairs Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday had telephonic conversation with Inspector General of Frontier Corps of Balochistan Major General Nadeem Ahmed Anjum who briefed him about the Chaman firing incident.
The minister strongly condemned firing incident, initiated by the Afghan forces. He observed that the security agencies of Afghanistan government, who cannot control their own territory, have set a bad precedent by cross-border shelling, targeting innocent civilians.
He said that valiant response from the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps to this unprovoked cross-border shelling would discourage such tendencies in future. Briefing the minister, the FC inspector general said that the incident happened after the Afghan forces started firing on the security forces which were providing security to the census team.
The minister expressed his heartfelt condolence over the martyrdom of two soldiers of the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps. He said that the action of the Afghan forces, which they did at the behest of someone else, was neutralised as a result of effective and immediate response from the army and the Frontier Corps.
In a statement, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the grave incident of firing by the Afghan forces, targeting personnel of the Frontier Corps at the border area. Terming the incident as most unfortunate, he said that recurring of such incidents was contrary to Pakistan’s efforts for achieving peace and stability in the region.
The prime minister expressed his profound grief and sorrow over the loss of precious human lives and injuries caused to the civilian and personnel of law enforcement agencies. He said that it was the responsibility of the Afghan government to ensure that such incidents were permanently stopped.
He extended his heartfelt condolences and sympathies with the affected families and directed the concerned authorities for treatment of the injured. Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri visited a hospital in Quetta and enquired after health of people injured in unprovoked firing by the Afghan forces in Chaman. He went to each injured and enquired about their health.
In separate statement, Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif also condemned unprovoked firing and shelling by the Afghan forces at Chaman border, expressing deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of precious human lives during the incident. He said that targeting civilian population by the Afghan forces was open aggression which is strongly condemnable.
In a statement, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto condemned Afghan forces shelling on Pakistani territory at Chaman border. He expressed concern and grief over the martyrdom of children and women along with other innocent citizens. He said such incidents were occurring due the absence of a foreign policy of the Nawaz Sharif government.
He said that situation in the region was worsening due to the country having no full-fledged foreign minister since over four years. He expressed sympathy and solidarity with the families of the martyred and those injured in the Afghan shelling and firing.