Border attacks seen as early warning

KABUL by firing missile to facilitate insurgent activities on Afghan territory.

Over the past two months, the Pakistan army has been firing missiles into border districts in eastern Kunar province, displacing hundreds of families, igniting forest fires and causing casualties.

Political analyst Mohammad Hashim Qayam alleged the Pakistani government was trying to create disharmony so that it could easily interfere in Afghanistan’s domestic affairs after the withdrawal of coalition troops in 2014.

The country also wanted to strengthen its role and encourage extremist groups to be active in Afghanistan, he added.

Kabul should report to the United Nations about the territorial violation by Pakistan and ask UN Security Council (UNSC) to take urgent steps against Pakistani rocket attacks.

“Unfortunately the government is yet to strongly warn Pakistan,” he said, commenting on Afghan government’s reaction to the incident.

Another analyst, Khoda Dad Basharat, said Pakistan uses different methods to support insurgency in Afghanistan.

“With the rocket attacks, Pakistan wants to show its role in the region and to convoy a message to Afghanistan and the international community not to ignore the country (Pakistan),” he said.

These sentiments were shared at the weekly radio and TV programme, “Your Voice”, a joint initiative of the Killid media group and its partners — Pajhwok Afghan News and Saba Media Organistaion — within the newly-created Afghanistan Independent Media Consortium. 

The consortium was launched last March to offer a platform for media outlets and other civil society groups to express their views on current affairs relating to the country.

Khoda said the past 10 years had shown Pakistan wants a weak Afghanistan, so it tries various methods to weaken the country and is supporting militants in Afghanistan to have greater influence after NATO forces exit the country, he added.

Afghanistan should complain to the UNSC about the rocket attacks that violates international laws and regulations.

Last Monday, the National Directorate of Security, Afghan spy agency, had warned Pakistan of “rapid and joint response” by people and government of Afghanistan over cross-border attacks that threaten Afghan villages in the bordering region.

myn/vp

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