Pakistani rockets hit Kunar as Nawaz visits Kabul

ASADABAD (PAN): Police claimed Pakistani military fired at least 38 long-range rockets into border districts in eastern Kunar province on Saturday, the day Pakistani prime minister arrived in Kabul for a day-long visit.

Kunar police chief Brig. Gen. Abdul Habib Syedkhel told Pajhwok Afghan News the rockets fired from across the Durand Line landed in Shigal and Dangam districts, but there were no reports about casualties.

As many as 1,488 rockets have been fired from the Pakistani side so far this year, leaving a total of eight civilians dead and 18 others wounded, the police chief said.

He said the issue had been raised several times in tripartite meetings between Afghan, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Pakistani authorities, but the periodic shelling continued.

The latest shelling coincides with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s day-long visit to Kabul, where he held talks with President Hamid Karzai and High Peace Council members.

At a joint press conference with Karzai, Sharif said it was in Pakistan’s interest to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan.

nh/rm/ma

Visits: 1