- Pakistan, Afghanistan complete border demarcation to correct geographical boundaries
Life returned to normal in Chaman and other adjoining areas on Tuesday after four days of shutdown and restrictions due to border tension with Afghanistan, according to officials and residents.
People have resumed their normal business in the areas besides reopening of the educational institutions in Chaman. However, the border remained closed with NATO supply suspended. The officials said that the border area remained on high alert as well.
Tension at the border erupted after Afghan border force attacked the paramilitary forces on Pakistan’s side late on May 4. At least 11 civilians were martyred and 46 others were injured. The attack was carried out on the Frontier Corps personnel who were deployed for census security in the area.
From Afghanistan side, over 50 soldiers were killed and more than 100 injured when Pakistan retaliated to the firing and shelling, according to FC Inspector General Major General Nadeem Ahmed. “We are not pleased to announce this but the Afghan commanders are responsible for this,” he had said.
“We had informed them about our census activity,” he said, adding that anyone who tries to make Pakistan’s territory disputed would face similar consequences. “The border will remain closed till Afghanistan changes its behaviour,” he reconfirmed.
On the other hand, Pakistan and Afghanistan have completed the joint survey of the Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir villages along their border with Chaman, so as to determine correct geographical boundaries.
The decision to conduct a geographical survey of the villages was taken in a flag meeting between Pakistani and Afghan officials held at the Friendship Gate following the deadly clashes. The Wesh-Chaman border is one of the major international border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The report has been dispatched to Kabul after the survey and the two countries would decide about these areas. Also, the census activities suspended in some urban areas of Chaman resumed on Monday, while the Friendship Gate remained closed for the fifth consecutive day following border tensions.
GOODWILL GESTURE: Despite the recent tension on the border, Pakistan has shown a goodwill gesture after allowing 14 Afghan citizens to leave for Kabul on humanitarian grounds after verifying their passports.
FIA said that these Afghans citizens were allowed to leave for Afghanistan on humanitarian grounds on Tuesday, after they showed their passports as proofs. According to FIA Immigration, a corpse of Afghani person, who died during medical treatment at a local hospital, was sent to Afghanistan. He had come to Quetta from Afghanistan for getting medical treatment.
