PESHAWAR: Situation was again tense on Sunday at Torkham border crossing as Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged fire over the contentious fencing issue.
“Afghan Security forces resorted to unprovoked firing on Pakistani side at Torkham Gate. A Pakistani soldier was injured due to Afghan firing,” said the statement issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The incident occurred at Shamshad mountain, near the border crossing, an official source told DawnNews.
The ISPR statement adds that, in order to check movement of terrorists through Torkham, Pakistan is constructing a gate on own side of the border as a necessity to check unwanted and illegal movement.
Earlier in May, the Torkham border crossing was reopened after Pakistan and Afghanistan reached an understanding to reopen it.
The decision to reopen the border crossing was made at a meeting between Army Chief General Raheel Sharif and Afghan Ambassador Omar Zakhilwal.
The previously unscheduled meeting was arranged as old irritants in the bilateral relationship — rows over border management and terrorism concerns — resurfaced ahead of the upcoming meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group, a four-nation initiative for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
Pakistan had closed the border crossing after Afghan authorities, who do not recognise the Durand Line as an international border, reacted to an attempt to fence the crossing for “controlling unauthorised cross-border movements”.
The move left thousands of people stranded on both sides of the border, besides halting the movement of cargo vehicles.
