Lawmakers in Afghanistan’s parliament on Saturday summoned acting Minister of Interior Affairs Massoud Andarabi to report on the recent mortar shelling by the Pakistani military forces on the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nuristan.

The parliament in a report said that over the past one year, the Pakistani military forces have fired over 13,000 mortar rounds on Afghanistan’s eastern regions, particularly on Kunar and Nuristan provinces, which left tens of civilians dead and wounded.

Lawmakers condemned the provocative shelling on Kunar and Nuristan as brutal attacks and accused the Afghan government of neglecting the rights of the Afghan people.

But, the security officials in today’s session in the parliament refrained from responding to the questions raised by the lawmakers in front of the media.

“So far 93 of our countrymen have been martyred,” said Nematullah Karyab, a member of parliament from Kunar.

“Unfortunately, the Pakistani military forces have established installations in Kunar province,” said Wazhma Safai, a member of parliament.

Some other lawmakers meanwhile accused the heads of the Afghan security, defense and intelligence agencies of inaction, corruption and negligence in their duties to protect the rights of the Afghan people and the nation’s soldiers.

“They (Pakistani forces) killed the old and the young people, they didn’t even have mercy on the women, this is shameful for the Afghan government,” said Zahra Tokhi, a member of parliament from Zabul.

“What has been the stance of the Afghan government about the action of the Pakistani military?” asked one senator, Robina Jalali.

Security officials refrained from commenting on the issue when journalists tried to get their reactions.

Two days ago, at least eight civilians were killed and eleven others were wounded following mortar attacks by Pakistani forces on the Sarkano district in Kunar, as well as on Asadabad, Kumat's capital, according to the local officials in the area.

Afghan military personnel were also killed in the attacks, said the officials, adding that several Afghan forces checkpoints were also destroyed in the attack.

Local officials in Kunar have said that the firefight between Afghan and Pakistani forces broke out after Pakistani forces tried to establish new check posts inside the Afghan territory.

https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/mps-condemn-pakistani-shelling-eastern-provinces