ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing at Chaman remained closed for the third consecutive day on Tuesday amid tensions between the two countries in the wake of a cross-border attack in which one FC personnel was martyred and two others were injured on Sunday.

Trade and other activities have been suspended on the major border crossing of Chaman-Spin Buldak which serves as the main trade route for landlocked Afghanistan for bilateral and transit trade with and through Pakistan following the Sunday attack which also led to an exchange of fire between the security forces of the two countries.

The intermittent exchange of fire which has now ended reportedly caused casualties and injuries across the border to several Afghan security forces but Pakistan’s side has refused to reopen the border until the armed men, involved in fire on the FC personnel are handed over.

In a statement on Tuesday, Afghan Taliban’s interim government spokesman ZabihullahMujahid expressed regret over the attack, saying that a high-level committee has been set up to investigate the incident and find the “culprits”.

He said that the Afghan security forces are taking serious measures to ensure that no such attack takes place in future.

“Pakistani security personnel were shot by an unknown person on the road from Spin Boldak to Chaman in Kandahar province, as a result of which one Pakistani personnel was killed.The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan expresses regret over the incident and has formed a high-level committee to investigate the incident and find the culprits,” Mujahid said.

Informed sources said that the two sides are in contact at the diplomatic as well as military level to resolve the issue. However, they added that the Chaman border crossing also known as Friendship Gate will remain closed until further order.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022