PESHAWAR: Pakistan closed its busiest border crossing with Afghanistan after two mortar shells were fired into its territory from the neighboring country, confirmed a police officer on Wednesday, adding that the attack did not result in any casualties.
“Two mortar shells from the Afghan side hit the ground near the parking area for trucks at the Torkham border crossing, though they did not cause any losses. A truck was partially damaged, and the Pakistani authorities decided to shut the border temporarily in the wake of the incident,” Mazhar Afridi, a police officer, told Arab News.
The development may further deteriorate relations between the two estranged neighbors. Only a day before, Pakistan condemned Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s tweets wherein he criticized the arrest of Manzoor Pashteen, leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, and urged “governments in the region” to “support and encourage peaceful civilian movements for justice.”
In a brief statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that two mortar shells were fired on Wednesday morning from Afghanistan but caused no casualties.
“The Torkham gate is closed for security purposes and the matter is being coordinated with Afghan authorities. The gate is likely to be opened shortly,” the statement added.
Nasib Shah, a local at the Torkham bazaar, told Arab News the mortar shells hit a nearby hillside, exploding with a big bang and damaging a truck partially.
“It was a huge explosion, making people panic and run. Soon after the blast, security officials rushed to the site, cordoning off the area and closing the gate for traffic,” he added.
“We demand the authorities on both sides to maintain maximum restraint because closure of the border even for a single hour inflicts unspeakable losses on the business community of the two countries,” President of All Torkham Clearing Agents Association Zarqeeb Shinwari said.
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