Pakistan fires warning shots as Afghan forces resume work on disputed Torkham checkpost

Pakistani border security forces fired warning shots on Friday evening after Afghan border forces restarted construction of a disputed security checkpost on their side of the Torkham border, Dawn reported. It is the latest flare-up at the Pakistan–Afghanistan crossing. [Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/2039331/tensions-flare-as-afghan-forces-resume-work-on-border-post]

Officials at Torkham said it was the second time during the current week that Afghan authorities had violated a mutual agreement not to construct a new post or building, or repair an older one, within a 100-metre radius of the border.

Tensions gripped the border area after the warning shots, with residents staying inside their homes, Dawn reported. Officials said the shots were fired only when verbal messages to the Afghan authorities received no positive response. Those messages asked the Afghan side to refrain from illegal activity near the border’s Zero Point.

The Friday-evening incident follows a similar confrontation earlier in the week. An armed clash was averted on 19 October when Afghan authorities abandoned construction work on the controversial Zangali checkpost after Pakistan expressed strong resentment, Dawn reported. Repatriation of undocumented Afghans was temporarily suspended on 19 October and immigration and customs offices closed for some hours, resuming after construction stopped. [Background: https://www.dawn.com/news/2038427/dispute-over-zangali-checkpost-disrupts-torkham-operations]

Officials insisted Pakistan tries to resolve border issues through negotiations but will not compromise on its principled stand on border security. No casualties, no border closure and no exchange of aimed fire are reported for the Friday-evening incident.