ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has strongly condemned the recent firing by Afghan forces on Pakistani territories as unprovoked, describing it as gross violation of international law.
While commenting on the incident, Mohsin Naqvi made it clear that any targeting of civilian areas would not be tolerated and a firm response would be the outcome. “Pakistan’s forces are on alert and reacting with full force, brick for stone,” he declared.
Moreover, the minister blamed Afghanistan of being under the spell of Pakistan’s historical foes, claiming that the hostility is just a minute part of a huge scheme devised by “eternal enemies.”
Naqvi claimed that the people of Pakistan are standing together with their courageous armed forces like a “wall of steel.” He cautioned that the country would take reprisals of the same magnitude used against India, further stating that Pakistan would put off Afghanistan’s intentions of even looking at it with hostility.
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Earlier, the unprovoked firing from the Afghan side has drawn a very strong response from the Pakistan Army, and report confirmed that multiple Taliban casualties occurred.
Security official said on Saturday that an unprovoked firing from the Afghan side was responded to in a befitting and strong manner by them.
The official reports mentioned that the Afghan troops fired bullets at various places along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral, and Baramcha.
The sources in security said that the firing from Afghanistan was probably to help the terrorists (Khwarij) sneak into Pakistan through the border.
Then, the Pakistan border posts, which had been alerted, opened heavy and effective fire, which not only destroyed the positions of the Afghan army but also resulted in the loss of dozens of Afghan and militant troops.
Also, the sources carried that the Taliban fighters in the wake of the retaliation did not only forsake a few posts but carried along with them the casualties.
The officials mentioned that the Afghan attacks were planned so as to coincide with the Afghan Foreign Minister’s visit to India, thereby making the concern over the timing and the aim of the cross-border fighting even more acute.
The border situation is still very tense, but Pakistani troops are on their toes and ready to deal with any incursion or infiltration attempt.
