Pak reopens Chaman Border crossing after 22 days

Pakistan on Saturday opened the Friendship Gate at Chaman Border crossing on "humanitarian grounds" for Ramzan after remaining closed for 22 days in wake of the alleged Afghan attack in the country that claimed 12 lives.

"Pakistan has opened Friendship (FS) gate Chaman on humanitarian grounds in Ramazan on request from Afghan authorities," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

"After the Chaman incident, Pakistan has its area under effective control having pushed back Afghan Border police troops. Census has been completed in the Pakistani side of the divided villages," it added.

The statement further said that it has been agreed upon by Pakistan authorities that cease fire shall continue to be maintained and no border violation will be acceptable and Pakistani troops will maintain its positions along international border in Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir on Pakistani side of the border.

Earlier, Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to avoid escalation at border during a meeting between representatives of the two sides in Chaman.

DIG Frontier Corps Balochistan led the Pakistani delegation while the Afghan side was headed by a Brigadier rank officer of the Afghan Border Police.

The Pakistani delegation informed the Afghan side that the Pakistani troops shall remain on its own side where they are deployed along the international border.

Islamabad and Kabul are caught in a fresh verbal salvo as Pakistan's Inspector General Frontier Corps (FC) Major General Nadeem Ahmed earlier during the month claimed that Afghan forces targeted the civilian population, while Pakistan targeted their check-posts, leaving 50 Afghan troops dead and 100 others wounded.