Pakistan-Afghanistan agrees to border ceasefire

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday agreed to ob-serve a ceasefire along the Torkham border amid tension between the two neighbours, diplomatic sources said. Officials said Afghan ambassador Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal telephoned Paki-stan’s foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz and sought help to resolve the dispute through diplomatic means. The envoy had returned fr-om Afghanistan a day bef-ore after attending national security meeting in Kabul. “Both the countries have come to this conclusion th-at Torkham dispute should be resolved through diplomatic efforts,” said an official.

Sources said the Afghan ambassador have also had a meeting with high-level Army officers after his talks with Mr Aziz over the telephone. Pakistan and Afghan forces exchanged fire late Sunday over construction on the Pakistani side of the border.

The US has also called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to peacefully resolve their tension as the clash on Tor-kham border entered its fo-urth day. Earlier in the day, Pakistan summoned Afgh-an Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal and lodged protest over the death of an Army Major in shelling by Afghan forces.

Major Ali Jawad Khan, who was injured in cross-border firing at Torkham border on Saturday, died of wounds.

Both sides started trading fire after Afghan government raised objections at the construction of a gate inside its territory.

“Foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary on Wednesday called in Afghan ambassador Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal to the ministry of foreign affairs to lodge Pakistan’s strong protest over the shahadat (martyrdom) of Major Ali Jawad Khan, an officer of Pakistan Army, who was injured on 13 June due to unprovoked firing by Afghan security forces at Torkham border crossing,” the foreign ministry said.

“The Afghan government was urged to take immediate steps to bring this unprovoked firing to an end,” a foreign ministry said.

The foreign secretary rejected allegations coming from Afghanistan that the construction works being undertaken by Pakistan were violation of the agreements and understandings reached between the two countries.

“It was reiterated that these works are being undertaken on Pakistani side and were started after the two sides had agreed on them during the meetings held in May,” it added.

The foreign secretary stressed that the Pakistani side was undertaking construction works on its side to regulate the movements of people as well as vehicles with the prior agreement of the Afghan government. He expressed concern over the continued firing by the Afghan forces for last few days with a view to disrupt the construction works aimed at strengthening effective border management.

Also on Wednesday, Sartaj Aziz condoled over the martyrdom of Major Ali Jawad, and called for Afghan cooperation in border management to check terrorism. The Adviser expressed his deep sadness over the death of Major Ali Jawad Khan Changezi.

Mr Aziz expressed serious concern over the continued unprovoked firing from the Afghan forces to disrupt the border management efforts by Pakistan Army well inside Pakistan’s territory.

“Strengthening of management and facilitation of the movement of people and vehicles across the border is an important part of counter terrorism effort and also for checking drug trafficking and other illegal activities,” he added.

He said that durable peace and stability across the border cannot be achieved without taking effective measures for strengthening border controls.

“Border management is aimed at addressing the common concern of infiltration and hence to enhance mutual security of both the countries and their peoples,” he said.

The sdviser emphasised that it is important for the two sides to resolve issues through dialogue. “These tensions are against the spirit of friendship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which is based on common religion, cultural values and strong bonds between the people of the two countries,” he said.

He hoped for Afghan cooperation in addressing the security issues, especially cross-border terrorism, due to the unregulated porous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.