Pakistan army officer injured in Torkham firing embraces martyrdom

PESHAWAR: A Pakistan Army officer who was injured due to indiscriminate firing by the Afghan forces at the Torkham border, embraced martyrdom on Tuesday.

Major Ali Jawad Changezi was brought to the Combined Military Hospital Peshawar on Monday after he got injured during a clash between Pakistan and Afghan security forces at Torkham border. He succumbed to his wounds.

Funeral prayers for Changezi were offered at Peshawar Garrison, after which his body will be transferred to his home city Quetta, the ISPR said in a statement. The Army Chief attended the funeral.

At least two soldiers and nine civilians, including women and children, were injured on Monday, due to unprovoked firing by the Afghan border forces. 

The incident was sparked during the construction of a gate inside Pakistani territory to check the movement of terrorists across the border.

Pakistan on Monday called the Afghan Charge d'Affaires to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey its strong protest over unprovoked firing by Afghan forces on the Torkham border crossing.

According to a press release by the Foreign Office, the Afghan Charge d'Affaires was told that the firing incident was contrary to the spirit of friendly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"The Afghan side was urged to thoroughly investigate the incident and share the findings with Pakistani authorities. It was further emphasized that all steps should be taken for avoiding recurrence of such incidents in the future," it said.

The Foreign Office statement said the firing was aimed at disrupting the construction of the gate well inside Pakistani territory at the border.

Later on Monday, the ISPR shared a map of the gate being constructed at the border.

"This gate, considered essential to check and verify documentation of all border crossers, will check movement of terrorists," DG ISPR Maj-Gen Asim Bajwa said in a tweet. He added that the gate was 37 metres inside Pakistani territory.