Pak, Afghan summon envoys to lodge protest

Pakistan and Afghanistan have summoned each other's ambassadors to lodge protest over detention of an official of the Pakistani mission in Kandahar by Afghan authorities and a border clash prompted by construction of a gate by Pakistani Army at a transit point.
The official of the Pakistani Consulate General at Kandahar "was forcibly taken away and kept in detention", Foreign Office (FO) said today.
"As a result of the strenuous efforts made by the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul and the Ministry, the detained official was handed over to the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul late last evening," FO said.

Pakistan summoned Afghanistan's ambassador last evening and also expressed "serious concern" to the envoy on the unprovoked firing by the Afghan Border Police at Angoor Adda gate on Pakistani side, which resulted in injuries to two security personnel.
The incident this week soured the ties as Afghan side alleged that one of their security men was killed in the firing by the Pakistani side.
The gate on the border with South Waziristan has created tensions as Afghan authorities are against it.

Pakistan military spokesman Maj Gen Asim Bajwa has, however, insisted that construction was being undertaken on the Pakistani side and hence did not constitute a violation.

FO said that ambassador of Afghanistan was issued "a demarche" last evening who in return "assured that he would convey our concerns to higher authorities in Kabul".
Afghanistan also summoned Pakistan's ambassador yesterday over the border clash and told him that the violation by Pakistan was against international and diplomatic norms. He warned that continued work on the gate could seriously harm ties.
Pakistan also emphasised that in view of close and brotherly relations existing between the two countries, which have significantly enhanced recently, such incidents should not have taken place.
The relations between the two countries have improved in recent months but there are occasional tensions as well.