New Delhi, Mar 10: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and China have called for restraint and dialogue as clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue along the disputed Durand Line, with reports of rising casualties and displacement of civilians in border areas, reports Tolo news of Afghanistan.
Khalil Ibrahim Okur, Deputy Director General for Humanitarian Affairs at the OIC, expressed concern over the tensions and voiced hope that peace and wisdom would prevail. He said Afghanistan and Pakistan were “brotherly countries” and the dispute should be resolved through diplomatic channels while reaffirming support for the Afghan people.
China also urged both sides to de-escalate the situation. During a meeting with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, China’s special representative for Afghanistan said Beijing hopes the dispute will be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
The tensions along the Durand Line have intensified over the past two weeks with cross-border shelling, military strikes and retaliatory attacks reported in several provinces. Local officials and aid agencies say civilian casualties are mounting and thousands of residents in border areas such as Torkham have been forced to flee their homes amid heavy shelling.
Afghanistan’s Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said Kabul does not seek war but is fully prepared to defend the country if necessary. “We are ready for war whether it lasts one month, one year or even ten years,” he said as reported by the Tolo news agency, adding that Afghanistan prefers resolving issues through dialogue but will respond to aggression.
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi also accused Pakistan of violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty through military strikes and said Kabul’s actions were defensive. He stressed that Afghanistan remains committed to resolving disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding but considers defending its territory a legitimate right.
According to Afghan authorities, clashes in several provinces along the Durand Line have resulted in heavy fighting between Afghan and Pakistani forces, with both sides reporting casualties. International organisations and regional countries have urged Kabul and Islamabad to avoid further escalation and pursue diplomatic solutions to the crisis.
