Kabul: A day after India and Afghanistan issued a joint statement in an effort to improve bilateral relations, Pakistan expressed “strong reservations” to some elements of the statement. Heavy clashes reportedly took place at the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on Saturday, days after the Taliban accused Islamabad of carrying out airstrikes on its soil. According to the Afghanistan military, the clashes, along the border in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan come “in retaliation” for the air strikes.

The firing took place at several key posts, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry criticized the mention of Jammu and Kashmir as part of India in a recent joint statement, labeling it “a clear violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”

The Ministry confirmed that these “reservations” were formally conveyed to the Additional Foreign Secretary (West Asia & Afghanistan). Separately, security officials reported a “prompt and intense response” by Pakistani forces that “effectively targeted several Afghan border posts.” The officials added that there were reports of “notable damage inflicted on multiple Afghan posts and militant formations.”

Iran, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have called for restraint following the escalation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border which coincides with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s week-long visit to India, wherein  Indian government has signaled a significant step in its evolving engagement with Afghanistan, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announcing the decision to upgrade the existing Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of a full-fledged Embassy. For the unversed, India had closed its Embassy in Kabul after the Taliban seized power following the withdrawal of U.S.-led NATO forces in 2021, but opened a technical mission a year later.

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