Pakistan to keep friendship gate on Pak-Afghan border closed for two days
- By Web Desk -
- Oct 19, 2018
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to keep friendship gate on Pak-Afghan border crossing points at Chaman and Torkham closed for today and tomorrow.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal in a statement on Friday said that the crossing points have been closed on the Afghan request.
The spokesperson said the decision has been taken to support Afghanistan in smooth conduct of upcoming parliamentary elections
Dr Muhammad Faisal said both the crossing points will remain closed for all kinds of traffic except emergency cases.
Gen. Abdul Razeq, one of Afghanistan’s most powerful security officials, was killed on Thursday when a bodyguard opened fire following a meeting in the governor’s compound in the southern province of Kandahar, officials said.
Gen. Scott Miller, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan who had been at the meeting with Razeq only moments earlier, was not injured in the attack. But the local commander of the NDS intelligence service and the Kandahar provincial governor Zalmay Wesa were killed.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they had targeted both Miller and Razeq, the police chief of Kandahar who had a fearsome reputation as a ruthless opponent of the insurgents in their southern Afghan heartlands.
On Thursday, Pakistan strongly condemned the terrorist attack resulting in death of senior Kandhar security officials.
Foreign Office said that Pakistan stands with the Afghan government and its people and reiterates its support for the democratic process in Afghanistan.
“We hope that the parliamentary elections due to take place day after tomorrow would be held peacefully. Strengthening of democracy is key to long term peace and security in Afghanistan,” reads the statement issued by foreign office.
The statement says that Pakistan condemns terrorism and the people of the country express their heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives and pray for swift recovery of the injured.