Pakistan military fires indiscriminately on refugees coming from Afghanistan, 3 Afghan citizens killed

Kabul/Islamabad: – Three people were killed when the Pakistani army opened fire on Afghan civilians, fleeing for their lives, on the border with Pakistan, after a deadly blast at Kabul airport. The Pakistan military’s action has left Afghans stranded. Pakistan’s military has come under fire from the international community for firing on Afghan refugees.

Two days ago, the Taliban issued a decree barring Afghans from leaving the country. At the same time, all roads leading to Kabul airport were closed by Taliban militants. The Afghan people were horrified by the deadly terrorist attack on Kabul airport on Thursday evening. Thousands to millions of Afghans have been stranded near the borders of neighbouring Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan due to the closure of the Kabul airport.

A similar group of thousands of refugees arrived near Pakistan’s Chaman border via Afghanistan‘s Spin Boldak. The refugees appealed to the Pakistan army that the border be opened. But the Pakistani military closed the Chaman border and trapped the refugees. But some Afghans, not caring for their lives, tried to cross the fence. Three Afghans were killed, and five others were injured in the firing by the Pakistan army. For hours, the bodies of Afghan civilians lay on the Chaman border.

Major General Babar Iftikhar, a spokesman of the Pakistan army, commented on the tension on the border, saying, ‘Everything is fine.’ But Iftikhar ignored the issue of Afghans being killed in the Pakistan army firing on the Chaman border. The Pakistan military’s action has drawn criticism from around the world. Afghans in Europe, as well as people of Pakistani descent, have been criticising the Pakistani military’s move.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on neighbouring countries to provide asylum to Afghans panicking because of the Taliban regime. The Pakistan government later announced that it had opened the border to Afghans. But in reality, Pakistan has been accused of closing the border and cornering the Afghans.