LANDI KOTAL: Pakistani and Afghan border security guards exchanged heavy gunfire on Sunday after an exchange of hot words over installation of a gate at the border.

Official sources at the Torkham border told Dawn that while the personnel of Frontier Corps tried to erect the gate at the border crossing, Afghan border guards objected to it and the two sides exchanged harsh words.

Later, the Afghan border guards resorted to firing at the Pakistani FC personnel which was returned by Pakistani security personnel.

Govt hopes Kabul will investigate the incident

The two sides then used both heavy and light weapons which forced local residents on both sides of the border to stay indoors.

The sources told Dawn that they saw an Afghan border post on fire after being hit by heavy firing by Pakistani security forces. There was no confirmation of any casualty on either side of the border till the filing of this report.

Pakistani has restricted entry of all Afghans to Pakistan without proper travel documents since June 1.

APP adds: Expressing deep concern over the incident, Pakistan said it hoped the Afghan government would immediately investigate the matter.

According to a spokesman of the Prime Minister Office, the government expressed deep concern about the security of Pakistani soldiers near the border, in relation to reports of unprovoked firing by Afghan security forces on Sunday.

“We consider these unprovoked attacks unhelpful in Pak-Afghan relations and expect the Afghan government to investigate the incident immediately,” the spokesman added.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2016