Will give a befitting reply to all actions on our border: Khawaja Asif

SARGODHA: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif remarked on Saturday that Pakistan will give a befitting reply to all actions on the border while speaking about Afghan firing near the Chaman border, in which 11 were martyred and 46 injured. 

“If our borders are violated and further destruction occurs then those responsible will have to pay the price. We will avenge those who cause us destruction,” he urged while speaking to media in Sargodha.

He further added that Delhi-Kabul nexus is apparent on Pakistan’s western border.

The firing was carried out to take attention away from Afghanistan’s inner politics, he remarked.  

“Afghanistan has realised that it was at fault during yesterday’s operation. We are hoping for a positive cooperation with Afghanistan to resolve the matters. However, we have not gotten a positive response from Afghanistan to improve relations,” Asif said.  

He also claimed that Afghan government needs to formulate a solution to finish terrorism.

Read more: 11 martyred, 46 injured in firing by Afghan forces at Chaman border

Afghan border forces opened fire on Frontier Corps Balochistan soldiers deployed for security of census team near the Chaman border on Friday.

Earlier, the Inter-Services Public Relations statement said one civilian was martyred and at least 18 injured in the cross-border firing and shelling. The injured include four FC soldiers who were on security duty of the population census team.  

Earlier in the day, Deputy Medical Superintendent at Civil Hospital Dr Akhtar confirmed nine civilians had died and 42 had been injured as a result of the firing and shelling.

Deputy Commissioner Qaiser Khan earlier said a woman was killed when a mortar shell fell on her house. 

He also said all schools in the locale had been closed for an indefinite period. He advised residents to avoid going to the rooftops of their houses, following the incident.

The unprovoked firing by Afghan forces, with both light and heavy arms, began at 4am Friday morning, security officials said earlier. Pakistani security forces at the time effectively responded to the firing and shelling from the Afghan side, security personnel said.