Nine Pakistanis injured in Pak-Afghan border firing

Curfew imposed in Torkham, Landi Kotal after exchange of firing between Pak – Afghan troops

ISLAMABAD – At least nine people have been injured after an exchange of fire erupted between Pakistan and Afghan security forces near the Torkham border.

A curfew has been imposed in Landikotal and Torkham on Monday following fire and bombardment by Afghan forces along the Pak-Afghan border.

Afghan chief executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah said, ‘We have agreed on a ceasefire with Pakistan and hope this problem will be resolved through diplomatic efforts.’

Demanding an immediate probe into the Torkham firing incident, Pakistan has expressed serious concerns over violation of the border security rules.

Local officials in Khyber Agency said several civilians were among those injured who were admitted to Landikotal hospital.

The Torkham bazaar was evacuated and the Pak Afghan Transit trade as well as import and export vehicles were sent back to Peshawar.

According to the military’s media wing, Afghan forces began firing as Pakistan started constructing a gate on their side of the border, as a “necessity to check unwanted and illegal movement of terrorists through Torkham.”

Pakistan has said the new system is put in place to curb the cross-border movement of the militants who would take advantage of the loose border monitoring system. Thousands of Afghans living near the border would cross into Pakistan without passports and visas.

Torkham is the most frequent crossing point at Pak-Afghan border, and most of the terrorists have been found using this gate for entry.

After the killing of the Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour (with fake travel documents) in Balochistan as a result of a drone strike killed and with reports that he even travelled to Iran through the Taftan border twice, Pakistani border officials had banned any entry from Afghanistan into its territory without proper travel documents at Torkham.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in recent days several militants have been found crossing the Torkham border.