Pakistan lodges protest with Afghanistan over cross-border attack

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of the Foreign Affairs has summoned the Afghan chargé d’affaires in Islamabad to lodge a protest over the cross-border attack on April 14, ARY News reported on Friday.

Pakistan expressed serious concerns over the provocations from Afghanistan’s side which is against the bilateral cooperation.

It emerged that Pakistani check posts had been targeted in unprovoked shelling and firing resorted to from the Afghanistan side in Chitral on April 14 that was continued for 5-6 hours. 35 shells had been fired from Afghanistan in the cross-border attack.

While protesting over the attack, Pakistan expressed serious reservations over the rise in provocations from the Afghan border security forces. In its statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said that Pakistan strongly condemned such cross-border firing incidents and demanded strict action against the responsible.

The Afghan chargé d’affaires was also demanded to ask the Kabul administration for enhancing the security measures the border areas and making bilateral contacts more effective to avoid such incidents.

North Waziristan attack

Moreover, seven Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred after terrorists ambushed a military convoy near the Afghan border in North Waziristan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Friday.

The military’s media wing said terrorists ambushed a vehicle of security forces in Isham area of the tribal district on April 14. The troops promptly retaliated by effectively engaging the attackers, it added.

In the ensuing encounter, four terrorists were killed, the ISPR said, adding seven soldiers also embraced martyrdom during the intense exchange of fire.

The martyred soldiers have been identified as Havaldar Tariq Yousaf, Sepoy Suleman Waqas, Sepoy Junaid Ali, Sepoy Ijaz Hussain, Sepoy Waqar Ahmed, Sepoy Muhammad Jawad Ameer, and Sepoy Arshad Ali.

An operation was launched in the area to clear it of terrorists.

“Pakistan Army is determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” the ISPR said.