ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday rejected claims made by the Afghan regime regarding the latest exchange of fire at the Chaman border crossing, saying that the incident was triggered from the Afghan side.
In a statement posted on X, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that firing was initiated by Afghan forces, prompting Pakistani security personnel to respond “in a measured and responsible manner”.
“The situation was brought under control due to the disciplined and professional action of our forces,” the statement said, adding that the ceasefire at the border remains intact.
The ministry said Pakistan remains committed to resolving border matters through dialogue and expects “reciprocity and seriousness” from Kabul.
“Pakistan has consistently worked to maintain peace along the Pak-Afghan border,” the statement added, urging Afghan authorities to avoid steps that escalate tensions.
The statement follows Afghan military officials’ claims of coming under fire from across the border earlier in the day.
The Afghan Taliban officials claimed that the Pakistani forces opened fire on Spin Boldak in the afternoon, which lasted 10-15 minutes, according to a report by AFP.
While the Taliban claimed they refrained from returning fire, Pakistan maintains that it was Afghan forces who initiated the exchange along the border.
The exchange of border fire comes as delegations from the two countries are currently in Istanbul for another round of the peace talks, which began in Qatar’s Doha on October 19.
The two bordering nations engaged in deadly clashes after the Taliban forces, backed by their affiliated militants, resorted to unprovoked fire along the border last month.
In their response, the Pakistan Armed Forces killed over 200 Taliban fighters and affiliated militants; however, as many as 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred during the border clashes.
The security forces also conducted strikes inside Afghanistan, including in Kabul, destroying terrorists’ hideouts in the country.
The two sides agreed to a temporary ceasefire on October 17, bringing an end to hostilities after week-long clashes.
Following the first round of talks in Doha, the two sides met again in Istanbul on October 25 for talks, which continued till October 31.
Delegations from both sides are currently in Turkiye to further discuss matters regarding peace in the region.
Pakistan recorded a sharp increase in terror incidents, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban regime took power in 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban regime to prevent terrorist groups from using its soil to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
However, the Taliban regime largely remained indifferent to Pakistan’s demands and provided refuge to multiple terrorist groups targeting security forces and civilians. –Agencies
