All business and trade activities at the Chaman border remained suspended for the fifth day…reports Asian Lite News
The Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing at Chaman remained closed for the fifth consecutive day on Thursday, media reports said.
The Chaman border known as Friendship Gate was closed after unidentified armed men opened fire on the Pakistani security troops from inside Afghanistan, killing a soldier and injuring another two on Sunday, Geo News reported.
All business and trade activities at the Chaman border remained suspended for the fifth day.
The federal government will take a decision about the opening of the Friendship Gate, Chaman’s Deputy Commissioner said, adding that Islamabad and Kabul are in contact with each other on the matter, Geo News reported.
On November 13, a Frontier Corps soldier was killed and two more sustained injuries in the midst of a cross-border attack from Afghanistan to Balochistan’s Chaman district.
Afghan security officials allegedly opened fire on the FC personnel while they were deployed on duty on the Pakistani side of the Bab-e-Dosti near Chaman, as per Levies officials.
As a result of the attack, one FC trooper was killed while two were injured due to bullets shot at them during the exchange of fire between security officials of the two countries.
Following the incident, the Pakistani authorities contacted the Afghan government for a ceasefire in the area. Meanwhile, Bab-e-Dosti has been closed for all kinds of trade and pedestrian movement, Geo News reported.
Dawn reported citing officials that Pakistani authorities had enhanced security arrangements at the border, as nobody was allowed to cross the border after the shooting.
Due to the closure of the Afghan-Pak border at Chaman, a large number of trucks carrying Afghan transit trade goods and containers carrying import and export goods were stranded on both sides.
Border clashes between Kabul and Islamabad have been on the rise for a long and Kabul has long accused Pakistan of providing a safe haven to anti-social elements. The border spat between the two countries has only added to the rise in gun attacks and explosions in the region. (IANS/ANI)
