Daily Times

ISLAMABAD/KABUL: Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry on Wednesday summoned Afghan Ambassador Janan Mosazai to record protest against anti-Pakistan propaganda.

Chaudhry stressed that allegations undercut mutual confidence and affect the environment of bilateral relations that both countries had been working hard to improve. Pakistan has been acting with maximum restraint and avoiding any blame-game, a statement from the Foreign Office read. “A strong protest was also lodged on cross-border violations from the Afghan side on August 16 and 17, 2015, which resulted in the shahadat of three FC personnel and injuries to two others.”

The Afghan ambassador was conveyed that, “as a matter of policy, Pakistani authorities do not initiate fire and return fire only in self-defence,” the statement read further. The foreign secretary also told the ambassador that as per the guidance of the leadership, Pakistan would continue its policy of restraint and responsibility and constructive engagement with Afghanistan.

“We expect that the Afghan government would also reciprocate by taking effective measures to obviate recurrence of such incidents on the border, and work with Pakistan to build mutual trust and good neighbourly relations,” the statement added.

Cooperation between the two neighbors, both battling terrorist insurgencies is seen as key to peace in Afghanistan, since Pakistan is widely believed to wield considerable influence over the Taliban and allied terrorists.In a meeting with Ambassador Abrar Hussain, Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry expressed serious objections to the heavy artillery firing in Kunar, the ministry read in a statement. Eight police were killed, it said.Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has worked in his first year in office to improve ties with measures such as intelligence sharing, but after bombs in Kabul killed dozens this month he furiously blamed Pakistan for “exporting war”.

“The fight against terrorism must be the top priority for countries in the region, Ghani said in speech to mark Independence Day on Wednesday.“Nobody can force us to accept their demands by threat,” he said. That anger was also felt on the streets of Kabul where the city’s residents celebrated the holiday wrapped in Afghan flags.

“I’ve come to celebrate our Independence Day, we’re celebrating against Pakistan,” said city resident Muhammad Zamir, as drummers and dancers performed by the ruins of houses and shops destroyed by a massive truck bomb on August 7. Pakistan has condemned the recent attacks and blamed “spoilers and detractors” for trying to create mistrust between the two countries, which are divided by a border defined in a 1919 treaty recognising Afghan independence from the British empire, although the country was never fully colonised. The treaty is celebrated on August 19.