Key Pak-Afghan crossing closed after fresh border clash

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan

A key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been closed after a fresh clash between the troops of the two neighboring countries, security officials said Friday.

According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s military, the Afghan border police opened fire at troops, who were providing security to the census staff in southwestern Chaman town, which borders southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan.

The firing has stopped following a hotline contact between the two of military operations and a flag meeting of the local commanders, the statement said.

The Pakistan army responded effectively to the Afghan forces' firing, it said, adding that the Chaman border crossing has been closed following the attack.

Dr. Mohammad Akhtar, deputy administrator of Civil Hospital Chaman, put the death toll to nine – including five children and three women -- with 40 others injured.

Earlier, it was reported citing Pakistan army’s statement that the "unprovoked firing” resulted in the death of a woman, and injuries to 18, including four paramilitary troops.

Sajid Khan, the Chaman’s police chief, said all the schools and colleges in the city have been closed down, while citizens have been instructed not to go out of their houses unnecessarily.

Pakistan lodges protest

Pakistan summoned a senior Afghan official to the Foreign Ministry to protest the unprovoked firing.

“The Afghan Charge d’ Affairs was conveyed that Pakistani authorities were undertaking the population census and this information had been shared with Afghan government earlier,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We urge the Afghan government to take immediate steps to bring an end the unprovoked firing from the Afghan side. Action should also be taken against those who are responsible for this violation", it added.

Meanwhile, Afghan officials accused Pakistan of initiating the attack, saying several civilians and border guards were wounded in the clashes in the border region of Kandahar’s Spin Boldak district.

Gorzang Afridi, secretary of the Afghan National Police (ANP) in Kandahar, told Anadolu Agency that the Afghan forces had asked Pakistani officials three days ago not to conduct census in Luqman and Nazar villages, close to the border.

“On Friday, at around 04.00 a.m. (1130GMT Thursday) the Pakistani militia forces started shooting and wished to forcefully go ahead with the census on our soil, but our border forces stopped them”, he said.

Like many villages and towns along a 2,640-kilometer (1,640-mile) long border between the two countries, Luqman and Nazar villages lying between Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak and Pakistan’s Chaman districts are disputed.

3 Afghan personnel injured

Samim Khpalwak, for the provincial government in Kandahar, said three personnel of Afghan forces got wounded in the incident.

He said additional troops have been sent to the area.

Khpalwak noted all movement of goods and passengers between the two countries via the bustling Spin Boldak-Chaman crossing point has been stopped.

Already tense ties between the two neighbors have hit a low ebb in recent months following terrorist attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan, for which the two sides blame each other.

On Feb. 17, Pakistan unilaterally closed its border with Afghanistan, commonly known as the Durand Line, “due to security reasons” following a spate of terror attacks -- including a suicide bombing at a Sufi shrine in Pakistani town of Sehwan that left 90 people dead.

The border was reopened after a month in March.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share 18 crossing points -- the most commonly used ones are Torkham and Chaman.

Afghanistan does not recognize the Durand Line which was established in 1893 in line with an agreement between India under British colonial rule, and Abdur Rahman Khan -- the then ruler of Afghanistan.

* Shadi Khan Saif contributed to this story from Kabul, Afghanistan.