Pakistani, Afghan officials conduct geographical survey in Chaman
islamabad — A team of Pakistani and Afghan officials conducted a joint geographical survey in Chaman’s ‘controversial’ Killi Luqman and Killi Jahangir villages and submitted a report to Kabul and Islamabad on Tuesday, as both countries seek to ‘remove discrepancies’ in Afghan maps, reports Dawn online.
Census activities have also resumed in Chaman amid tight security, days after a cross-border attack on census staff and security personnel by Afghan forces in Chaman left at least 12 people dead and 40 others injured despite Kabul being informed of the exercise in advance.
During hotline contact, the Afghan director general of military operations admitted his side’s mistake in identifying the boundary in the area, and acknowledged
The border will remain closed for everyone except sick afghan nationals Qaiser Khan, a government official
that border is in between villages and not at a ditch, as perceived by them, Inter-Services Public Relations said earlier.
Earlier, official sources claimed that some differences were found between “our maps and the ones presented by the Afghan army” during a meeting.
Both sides subsequently agreed to conduct a survey of the ‘controversial’ Killi Jahangir and Killi Luqman villages after Pakistani and Afghan experts of the geographical survey briefed the meeting on the matter.
Military officials agreed that Google Maps would also be considered while conducting the survey.
The Friendship Gate at Chaman, however, remains closed, and at least 15,000 people from the villages have moved to Chaman town, Qila Abdullah, Quetta and other places since the attack by Afghan forces on May 5.
Later in the day, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz met Afghan Ambassador Omar Zakhilwal to discuss the issues Pakistan and Afghanistan are facing and the attack by Afghan border forces in Chaman.
Authorities have made an exception for ailing Afghans, allowing them to leave and return home through the Chaman border crossing, a government official said.
Local official, Qaiser Khan, said the border will remain closed for everyone except sick Afghan nationals.