Afghan forces shell Torkham border, Pakistan retaliates

TORKHAM: Unprovoked shelling by Afghanistan security forces at the Torkham border within Pakistani limits injured one soldier, as Pakistan's security forces also retaliated with fire. 

According to details, the hostility began at the border due to Pakistan's act of constructing a gate on its side of the border, to check the movement of terrorists from Afghanistan into the country. The unprovoked shelling by Afghan forces caused two Khasadar force officials to be injured and one FC official as well. 

The ISPR stated that Pakistan retaliated in full force to the Afghan hostility. A post on the ISPR website read:-

"At about 2120 hrs tonight Afghan Security forces resorted to unprovoked firing on Pakistani side at Torkham Gate. A Pakistani soldier was injured due to Afghan firing. Pakistani security forces responded to Afghan firing effectively. It may be mentioned that Torkham is the most frequented crossing point at Pak-Afghan Border and recently even most of the terrorists have been found using this gate for entry. In order to check movement of terrorists through Torkham, Pakistan is constructing a gate on own side of the border as a necessity to check unwanted and illegal movement."

A curfew has been imposed at the Landi Kotal area and Pakistan -Afghanistan Transit trade as well as import and export trucks have been returned to Afghanistan. 

Islamabad has often accused Afghanistan of harbouring terrorists that carry out attacks in Pakistan time and again. Recently, Pakistan has called for increased surveillance and monitoring of the Afghan border, so as to prevent the infiltration of terrorists into the country.