Uneasy border

The guns have fallen silent at Torkham but Pakistan and Afghanistan have to iron out differences.

Shekeb Mustaghni, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Afghan officials have conveyed their objections

The guns have fallen silent at Torkham but Pakistan and Afghanistan have to iron out differences.

Shekeb Mustaghni, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Afghan officials have conveyed their objections to Pakistani counterparts at a joint meeting in Islamabad on June 20.

“To prevent transgression by Pakistan in Torkham, it was agreed the two sides should establish a joint mechanism for coordination and consultations,” he said.

Leaders of the two countries are expected to meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting scheduled to be held in Tashkent, June 23-24.

The flashpoint at Torkham was over an attempt by Pakistan to construct close to zero point on the border. Afghan border police moved swiftly to prevent the construction. The standoff led to an exchange of gun fire as a result of which three Afghan soldiers and one Pakistani officer were killed. According to independent media reports, some 23 Afghans and 11 Pakistani soldiers were injured.

At the June 20 meeting, Afghanistan was represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs Salahuddin Rabbani, Hanif Atmar, chief of the National Security Council and Afghan ambassador in Islamabad, Hekmat Khalil Karzai.

However, independent radio reports indicate Pakistan is determined to go ahead with the construction of gates at the four border areas.

The Senate sent a delegation to assess the border situation and the morale of Afghan security forces. Fazel Hadi Muslemyar, chairman of the Senate, told the media on his return from Torkham that while Afghans do not want to go to war with a neighbour, security forces would not tolerate violations on the border. The recent round of fighting was triggered by Pakistan, he says. “I would like to share with the media that the morale of security forces is very high. I assure you we would benefit from a war, but we are not partial to fighting,” he said.

Meanwhile, Second Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum has announced he would lead 5,000 soldiers to avenge the “blood of Afghans” shed at Torkham. But Daulat Waziri, spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defence has played down the war-mongering. “War is never beneficial to us, or to those who start it,” he said.