Islamabad (May 05, 2017): Foreign Office on Friday expressed concerns over firing on a Census team near Afghan border in Chaman by Afghan forces from across the border.
In a statement FO spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that Pakistan reserved the right to respond the aggression.
It is to be mentioned here that at least three civilians were killed and 17 others injured when Afghan border forces opened fire on security personnel guarding a census team in Chaman area early Friday.
The spokesman said that the team was performing census duties in the area when it came under attack from Afghan side.
He added that Afghanistan had already been informed about the census exercise in the area.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had earlier released a statement saying Afghan Border Police opened fire on Frontier Corps (FC) personnel detailed for the security of a census team in Chaman, leaving one person dead and 18 injured. The death toll has subsequently risen to three.Four FC Balochistan men are among those injured.
“Since 30th April, Afghan Border Police had been creating hurdles in [the] conduct of census in divided villages of Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir in Chaman area, on Pakistani side of the border,” the military’s media wing said.
ISPR said the Afghan border guards’ firing comes despite the fact that Afghan authorities had been informed in advance about the census exercise in Pakistan and coordination was carried out through diplomatic and military channels. The Chaman border crossing has been sealed as Pakistani and Afghan troops continue to exchange fire, the ISPR press release said.
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