Afghan diplomat urges Islamabad to reopen border

Pakistan Ambassador to Afghanistan was summoned by Afghan Deputy Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Defence over the cross-border shelling and closure of the crossing points between the two countries. According to Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria, Ambassador Syed Abrar Hussain was invited through Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a meeting with General Murad Ali Murad, Deputy Chief of Staff at Ministry of Defence, on February 27. Defence Attache Brigadier Farooq Zaman also accompanied the ambassador.
During the meeting, he said, General Murad requested for de-escalation at the border and re-opening of the crossing points between the two countries. "Highlighting the sufferings of people due to closure of the border, General Murad sought reduction in tension," the spokesperson said, adding he also promised to take action against terrorists on the basis of shared information. Ambassador Hussain, in his response, briefed on the circumstances behind actions taken by Pakistan, he added.
Zakaria said that Ambassador Abrar Hussain also stated that Afghan nationals were involved in recent attacks in Pakistan and stressed that Afghanistan should take appropriate measures for denying use of its soil by terrorists against Pakistan. The ambassador also informed that the border was closed to prevent crossing by terrorists and stressed on the need for efforts by both countries to strengthen border management. The ambassador, however, promised to transmit the Afghan requests to Islamabad.
In the wake of the recent terror attacks, Pakistan took several measures including summing of the Afghan Embassy officials to the General Headquarters (GHQ), handing over them a list of 76 wanted terrorists hiding in Afghanistan, cross-border shelling against the terrorists hideouts and closing of the border crossings with a view to check cross-border terrorists' infiltration.