Border system with Afghanistan, Govt took steps for Integration: Shibli Faraz

ederal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz on Friday said that the government will take measures for an integrated border system with Afghanistan to avoid any such incidents in the future.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Shibli Faraz said that Pakistan has strong relations with Afghanistan and both countries will normalize the situation at the borders.

Responding to a question, Shibli Faraz said that Afghan troops resorted to unprovoked firing on civilians gathered at Pakistan’s side of Chaman border.

He said that the incident occurred when some people attempted to cross the border forcefully. Faraz maintained that some element involved in smuggling, provoked them to cross the border for their vested interest.

Earlier in the day, the spokesperson of the Foreign Office (FO) had clarified that Pakistani troops had responded to protect the local population and acted only in self-defence when Afghan forces opened unprovoked fire on innocent civilians gathered at the Chaman’s Friendship Gate.

The FO spokesperson Aisha Farooqui had said in a media statement that Afghan forces had opened unprovoked fire on innocent civilians gathered towards Pakistan’s side of the international border at the Friendship Gate Chaman on July 30.