At least one person was killed while several were injured in firing from Afghanistan at Pakistan’s Chaman border on Thursday.
Chaman Deputy Commissioner Abdul Hameed Zehri confirmed the number of casualties, reports Dawn.
Earlier, Balochistan Health Department Media Coordinator Dr Waseem Baig said the injured had been shifted to the Chaman District Headquarters Hospital.
The official said that an emergency had been declared at hospitals in Chaman in light of the current situation.
Senior government sources requesting anonymity confirmed that the firing originated from inside Afghanistan.
In a statement, Balochistan Minister for Home Affairs Mir Ziaullah Langove condemned the incident and sought a report from the deputy commissioner. He said that the army knew how to defend the country’s borders.
“We believe in pursuing a friendly policy with neighbouring countries. Do not think of our desire for peace as a weakness,” he said.
The incident comes four days after at least seven people lost their lives and 16 others suffered injuries in Chaman, which came under heavy gunfire and artillery shelling by Afghan border forces, the military’s media wing said.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had described the incident as “uncalled-for aggression” and said Pakistani troops had given a “befitting” but “measured response” and avoided targeting civilians on the other side.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had subsequently said that the interim government in Afghanistan had apologised to Pakistan for the incident, saying that the “matter is now resolved”.
