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Torkham border closed after Pak-Afghan security forces clash

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  • Skirmish leaves one FC soldier injured.
  • Dispute arose over construction of bunker on Afghan side on hilltop near border.
  • Afghan side fires mortar shells which landed at offices of FIA and Customs.

LANDIKOTAL: The Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghanistan was closed on Wednesday following a clash between the security forces of the two countries, which left a Frontier Corps soldier injured. The News reported.

This dispute arose over the construction of a bunker by the interim Afghanistan government on the Afghan side, specifically on a hilltop near the border.

Pakistani authorities had requested the Afghan side to halt the construction, citing it as a violation of international law, an official performing duty at the Torkham border told The News on the condition of anonymity.

However, the Afghan authorities did not heed this request. Consequently, the border was closed due to the escalating tensions stemming from this construction dispute.

“Both Pakistani and Afghan officials held talks but failed to resolve the issue and all of a sudden, Afghan troops started shelling Pakistan’s side of the border,” said the official.

He added that several mortar shells were fired from the Afghan side, which landed at the offices of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Customs and other official workplaces.

The official added that a mortar shell also hit a mosque on the Pakistani side of the border while another landed in Bacha Mena border village. However, these did not cause any casualties.

He added gunfire started at 2pm and continued for around three hours resulting in FC soldier Maqsood, sustaining bullet injuries and was taken to a hospital.

In the midst of this border dispute, a significant number of individuals found themselves stranded on both sides of the border. Among them were travellers, patients, women, and children, as well as trucks, some of which were loaded with goods.

The situation led to the closure of hundreds of government and private offices as a precautionary safety measure.

Residents of the border village of Bacha Mena started moving from Torkham to safer places and urged the authorities to resolve the matter through talks.

“Afghan forces tried to establish a check post in an area where it is agreed… that both sides will not establish a check post,” said Pakistan local administration official Irshad Mohmand while talking to AFP

A local Pakistan police official, who was not authorised to speak to the media, said: “The atmosphere is tense” and “forces on both sides are alert.”

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Over Pakistan, Rain and Snowfall Are Expected Over the Next Three Days

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As a succession of westerly winds sweep into the upper areas of Pakistan, rain is expected to fall during the following three days.

The Meteorological Department forecasts snowfall in mountainous regions and rainfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. There will be rain in Balochistan and the Punjabi plains, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

In addition, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Upper Punjab, Islamabad, and Northeastern Balochistan are scheduled to see strong winds, thunderstorms, and partly overcast weather during the course of the next day.

Since last month, there has been mild to severe haze in some portions of the country’s upper regions. The capital of Punjab, Lahore, as well as cities like Multan and Sialkot, are among the areas most severely impacted by dense fog.

Other regions of the nation will see dry weather in the interim. It is anticipated that most of Punjab will see morning smog and fog, which will eventually dissipate by nightfall.

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Business

Dar chairs the CCOP meeting; Blue World’s bid offer of Rs.10 billion is rejected.

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The Foreign Minister/Deputy Prime Minister chaired the Cabinet Committee on Privatization meeting.

Other committee members who attended the conference included the Federal Secretaries of several Divisions, the Ministers of Finance and Revenue, Industry and Food, Commerce, Power, and Privatization.

The CCOP took the PC Board’s recommendation into consideration and suggested that Blue World’s bid of 10 billion rupees for the sale of 60% of PIACL’s shares be rejected. The bid was rejected by the CCOP, who chose to follow the PC Board’s advice.

The government’s determination to sell out PIACL through government-to-government or privatization was reaffirmed by the CCOP.

The CCOP was pleased with the Aviation Division’s evaluation of PIACL’s sound financial standing.

Additionally, the CCOP established a committee, chaired by the Minister of State for Finance, to assess potential transaction possibilities for the privatization of the Roosevelt Hotel and the appropriate modes of adoption in light of existing legal rules.

Prior to its subsequent meeting, the CCOP also ordered that all difficulties be resolved and an agreement for the selling of services to an international hotel be concluded.

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Combating Terrorism: Twelve Terrorists Destroyed in Separate Operations by Security Forces

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Eleven terrorists and Kharijis were killed in two separate intelligence-based operations in Balochistan’s Miran Shah District and North Waziristan. One of the victims was Sana Alias Baru, a high-value target.

In the vicinity of Miran Shah in North Waziristan, security forces successfully fought the Khwarij, leading to the death of eight and injury of six.

The general region of Balgatar, Kech District, Balochistan was earlier the scene of an Intelligence-Based Operation that resulted in the deaths of four terrorists, one of them was a high-value target.

Authorities in Kech District were actively seeking Baru, who had a pivotal role in recruiting members of the so-called Majeed Brigade, particularly suicide bombers.

Among the terrorists’ possessions were weapons and ammo.

In order to eradicate any lingering terrorists in the vicinity, a sanitation operation is currently under progress.

With unwavering resolve, the Pakistani security forces will eradicate the terrorist threat from the nation.

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