By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: A child was martyred and another seriously injured when a mortar shell, allegedly fired from Afghanistan, struck a home in the Waragha Shankhel area of Bazaar Zakhakhel in Landikotal, sources said on Wednesday
According to local sources, the mortar landed inside the house of Haji Daryab during intense cross-border shelling that began in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The explosion caused widespread panic among residents living near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, many of whom fear further escalation of violence.
This latest incident is part of a recurring pattern of cross-border violations that have endangered civilian lives in the region. Locals have repeatedly called for stronger border management and government intervention to ensure the safety of communities living in proximity to the volatile frontier.
Reacting to the incident, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Minister for Religious Affairs and Auqaf, Sahibzada Muhammad Adnan Qadri, strongly condemned the attack. He termed it a gross violation of human rights and urged the federal government to take serious diplomatic measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Security forces have launched an investigation, while law enforcement agencies have increased surveillance and presence along the border to prevent further attacks.
The injured child was shifted to a nearby hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Residents told this correspondent that a fear of retaliation across the border compelled them to stay home and take precautionary measures to save their lives.
It may be added here that Pakistan has repeatedly asked Kabul to ensure that Afghan soil is not to be used against Pakistan, but still innocents are being killed in attacks carried out from Afghanistan.
