QUETTA: As some semblance of normality return­­ed to the Chaman border, a flag meeting between Pak­istan and Afghan authorities, scheduled to be held on Saturday, was postponed in favour of a Jirga that would visit Afghanistan for negotiations with the Taliban officials.

Efforts by tribal elders and the security forces are underway in a bid to normalise the tense border situation, which was precipitated by Afghan border forces’ shelling on civilian settlements in Chaman.

“The flag meeting was postponed due to grouping among the Afghan authorities on use of authority and taking decisions,” a security official posted at Chaman disclosed. He said that negotiations at the local level were underway between both the countries in Spin Boldak to restore confidence for holding talks at a high level.

“In the present circumstances, no result is expected from a flag meeting, as the situation was not normal due to the non-serious attitude of Afghan border authorities following the regime change in Kabul,” an official told Dawn, adding that the participation of high-level civil and ministry officials from both sides in the flag meeting was necessary for “meaningful dialogue”.

JUI-F MNA from Chaman Maulana Salahuddin Ayubi is already holding talks with the Taliban leadership in Kabul, sources said.

However, officials said that a flag meeting may be held in the coming days.

“A jirga consisting of leading ulema from Chaman is expected to leave for Kandahar in a couple of days to hold talks with the Taliban leadership to defuse the tense situation at the border,” a senior security official said.

The delegation would also visit Kabul to meet Afghan Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob, if needed.

Currently, though forces are alert with heavy weapons deployment at each side, there is a complete lull at the Pak-Afghan border after Thursday’s armed clashes which claimed one life and left at least 15 others injured.

Security officials in Chaman said the weapons being used by Afghan forces from the Abdullah Kandak area to target civilian settlements in Chaman were silenced when Pakistani forces responded and destroyed the long range artillery on the other side.

Reports suggest that the situation at Friendship Gate is normal and border crossings and import-export activities between Kandahar and Chaman reportedly continued throughout the day without any hurdle.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2022