BEIJING: As the situation remains tense on the Pak-Afghan border following Afghan troops’ aggression and Pakistani forces’ retaliatory response, China hoped the both governments in Islamabad and Kabul “would properly” address the border issue.
“As a close neighbour to both Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Chinese side hopes that the two sides will properly address the relevant issue,” remarked Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang on Monday while responding to a question during a regular press briefing.
The spokesperson also hoped that the two neighbouring countries would jointly uphold the peace and stability in the region.
On May 5, 11 people, including women, children and an FC man, were killed and 47 injured when Afghan border forces resorted to ‘unprovoked’ firing at Pakistani troops guarding a census team.
However, Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Dr Omar Zakhilwal on Monday denied claims Pakistani forces killed 50 Afghan soldiers and border security personnel in Chaman, saying only two soldiers were killed and seven others injured.
The incident occurred in the Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir villages of Chaman, which straddle the border and have been a source of controversy between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Kabul claims the villages are part of the war-torn country’s Spin Boldak district, an assertion Pakistan flatly denies.