PARACHINAR: Elders of Kurram Agency and tribes from Khost province of Afghanistan would meet on Sunday to discuss border dispute and work out a joint mechanism to avoid confrontation in future. Senior military officials from both the sides would also attend the meeting.

This was decided at a jirga held in lower Kurram on Tuesday. Political Agent Baseer Khan, Commander 73 Brigade Brig Akhtar Haleem, MNA Sajid Hussain Turi and elders of various tribes attended the jirga, said an official of the political administration.

The jirga expressed concern over clashes at Laka Tiga post on the Kurram side in which five soldiers of Frontier Corps were killed and 12 others suffered injuries. The attack was launched from the Afghan side on Monday when FC personnel were erecting fence.

Reports said that overnight clashes claimed lives of 10 Afghans and several others were injured when security forces and armed tribesmen launched a retaliatory action. Bodies of the FC personnel were returned after negotiations. Clashes were stopped after flag meeting between the security officials of the two countries.

Elders called for demarcation of boundary on the Kurram side to avoid unnecessary confrontation and demanded complete fencing along the border. They said proper demarcation and fencing were in the interest of the two countries.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2018