Tense situation paralyses life in Chaman on second day of border firing

CHAMAN: Tense situation prevails along the border with Afghanistan in border town of Chaman on Saturday, in the aftermath of the unprovoked firing and shelling carried out by Afghan forces from the other side of the frontier claiming at least 11 lives and injuring over 40 yesterday, ARY News reported.

The trade through Bab-e-Dosti Gate at Chaman border between the two countries has been completely suspended as the border crossing remained closed for second consecutive day.

Aerial surveillance has been carrying out in the area while the villages closed to Afghan border have been evacuated in fear of another border firing incident.

Heavy contingents of Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan have reached the area and deployed along the border to secure the frontier.

All markets and educational institutions in the city were closed amidst fears of any possible gun battle between the security forces of two countries.

The provincial disaster management authority (PDMA) apprised media that an emergency cell has been established in the area while five ambulances, medical staff, and medicines along with 28 trucks of foodstuff have been sent to the trouble-hit city.

Besides trade, the NATO supplies to Afghanistan have also reportedly been disturbed due to tense situation in the border town.

It should be recalled here that the Afghan forces yesterday carried out unprovoked firing and shelling which claimed at least 11 lives and injured over 40 mostly the civilians including children and women.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistan Army media wing, Afghan Border Police opened fire on FC Balochistan personnel who were deployed in the area to provide security to the Population Census team.

The statement said that since 30th April, the Afghan Border Police had been creating hurdles in conduct of census in villages of Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir in Chaman area, on Pakistani side of the border while the Afghan authorities had been informed in advance about the ongoing census exercise.