Daily Times

Pakistan Army returned five more Afghan soldiers to the Afghanistan government’s authorities, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Wednesday.

The military’s media wing said the soldiers were returned at 17:45 PST after due procedure. The army had given Afghan troops safe passage into Pakistan near the Arundu Sector of the Pak-Afghan border in Chitral. “After necessary clearance, the Afghan soldiers crossed into Pakistan. The said soldiers have now been returned to Afghan authorities at their request,” the ISPR added.

On Monday, the Pakistan Army had handed a group of Afghan army men to the authorities of their country in a dignified manner as they requested refuge and safe passage into Pakistan after they lost control of military post on the Pak-Afghan border, the ISPR had said. “Forty-six Afghan soldiers, including five officers, have been returned to Afghan authorities at Nawa Pass, Bajaur Tuesday at 00:35 hours, Pakistan Standard Time,” the army’s media wing had said. Afghan National Army and the Border Police personnel were given safe passage into Pakistan, on their own request, by the Pakistan Army in Arundu Sector of Pak-Afghan International Border, Chitral, on July 25, the statement had said.

The ISPR had said that after necessary clearance, the Afghan soldiers crossed into Pakistan with their weapons, ammunition, and communication equipment. “The said soldiers have now been amicably returned to the Afghan authorities on their request along with their weapons and equipment,” it had said. “Pakistan will continue to extend all kinds of support to our Afghan brethren in time of need,” the military’s media wing had added.