Pakistan rejects Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs' statement

ISLAMABAD: While terming a recent statement of the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs as irresponsible and unwarranted, Foreign Office spokesman stated that Pakistan- Afghan border is an internationally recognised, official border between the two countries in accordance with all relevant international laws and conventions, ARY News reported.

He also said, “Pakistan believes that 24/7 opening of the Torkham point along Pakistan-Afghanistan border is a significant step forward to facilitate the people and traders of both sides. However, such statements only serve to undermine the resolve for peace and cooperation between the two countries and should be avoided.”

Two Pakistani servicemen, including a major and sepoy, embraced martyrdom in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast on the Pak-Afghan border in Mohmand district earlier in the day.

“Major Adeel Shahid & Sepoy Faraz Hussain embraced shahadat on Pak-Afg Border in Mohmand Distt,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

“Squad under shaheed off[icer] was supervising fencing work in an area which carried critical infiltration route. Shaheeds fell victim to an IED planted by terrorists from across the border.”

Earlier, on Sept 14, four security officials were martyred and one wounded in two separate incidents of firing that took place in the western border areas.

The first incident took place in North Waziristan where a group of attackers opened fire on a patrolling party, martyring 23-year-old sepoy Akhtar Hussain. Two attackers were killed when the Pakistani security forces retaliated, according to the ISPR.

Three soldiers were martyred in another firing incident when assailants fired from across the Pak-Afghan border, targeting a team busy in the border fencing in Dir.

The martyrs include Lance Naik Saeed Ameen Afridi, Lance Naik Muhammad Shoaib Sawati and Sepoy Kashif Ali.