Cross-border firing along the Durand Line has introduced a new strain in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, at a time when bilateral relations were on the mend. To ensure this does not have a lasting impact on ties, both countries on Monday agreed to redouble efforts to check cross-border infiltration even as Pakistan announced the launch of an operation against terrorist havens in central Kurram tribal agency.
The offensive in central Kurram — adjacent to Tora Bora in Afghanistan from where al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden escaped a U.S. attack in 2001 — was launched on Sunday against terrorist sanctuaries set up there after they were pushed out of different tribal agencies along the Af-Pak border. Kurram lies north of North Waziristan, which has taken the brunt of U.S. drone attacks in recent months.
While Pakistan has been complaining to Afghanistan about attacks from the west of the Durand Line on its border outposts, Kabul's grief is the incoming traffic of terrorists from Pakistan's tribal belt and the shelling by the Pakistan Army into some of its areas. According to Kabul, firing by Pakistan has killed 42 people and wounded as many across three eastern provinces of Afghanistan over the past five weeks. There have been street protests in Afghanistan over the shelling from Pakistan.
Similar protests have been lodged by Pakistan with Afghanistan and the matter was taken up at the highest level last month during a visit by Afghan President Hamid Karzai to Islamabad.
Given the lay of the land, Pakistani officials have admitted to some stray shells landing inside Afghanistan while firing upon militants in the tribal belt but have been insisting that Kabul and the North Atlantic Treaty organisation-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) check infiltration from west of the Durand Line.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir met Afghanistan's Ambassador Mohammad Umer Daudzai in this regard and both condemned the loss of life and property at the hands of terrorists in border areas.
Both officials paid particular attention to the situation created by the militants in Dir, Bajaur and Mohmand in Pakistan and Kunar in Afghanistan. Besides raising the issue bilaterally, the two sides have discussed the matter at the military level with ISAF and another such meeting is on the cards to enhance information sharing and coordination.
