ISLAMABAD, June 27: The army denied on Monday it had intentionally fired hundreds of rockets into Afghanistan, but accepted that some 'rounds' might have accidentally landed in Afghan border areas.

“Rounds were fired for engaging the fleeing militants and there is a possibility that some may have accidentally gone across the border,” ISPR chief Maj-Gen Athar Abbas said.

The army's position was made public after incidents of firing of rockets and cross-border militant incursions came under discussion at the 34th tripartite commission meeting of senior military representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan and coalition forces in Kabul.

The commission meets quarterly to discuss coordination of military operations along the Pak-Afghan border. An ISPR statement said: “Steps for better coordination and enhanced cooperation to avoid misunderstandings as regard to the border security were discussed.”

The statement did not say if there was any agreement on the proposals, but stressed on reiteration of the resolve by the participants “to restore peace and stability in the area”.

There have been five incidents this month of militant incursion into Pakistani territory in which scores of paramilitary troops have been killed. About 200-300 militants attacked five Pakistani posts — two each in Mohmand and Dir and one in Bajaur. A military spokesman said the posts were about 2-5km from the border.

Pakistan had lodged strong protest with the Afghan government.

A military official said that rounds had been fired on militants who were fleeing after attacking the posts.

Afghan commanders claimed that Pakistani shells hit areas in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, which sit across Dir and Bajaur -- two of the areas which suffered Taliban incursions.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai had first discussed the issue with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari on the sidelines of a conference on counter-terrorism in Tehran and then raised it with Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani who visited Kabul for the tripartite commission meeting.

Mr Karzai claimed that 36 people, including children, had been killed by the shelling. He called for an immediate end to the shelling of border areas.

Afghan officials said the incidents of shelling had started about three days ago and were last reported on Sunday night. AFP adds:

The Afghan president met the Pakistan army chief in Kabul on Monday and said he had demanded a halt to a series of cross-border rocket attacks that have caused a row between the two countries.

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have long been strained over mutual accusations of responsibility over militants fighting against both governments, particularly in the porous border area.

Mr Karzai met General Ashfaq Kayani at his palace in Kabul shortly after a top Pakistani army spokesman admitted gunfire might have crossed the border, alleging that five “major attacks” launched from Afghanistan had killed 55 security personnel and pro-government tribal militiamen in a month.

A statement issued by Mr Karzai's palace after the meeting said he “expressed concerns over the continuation of rocket attacks on the Afghan border region from Pakistani soil and demanded an immediate halt to these attacks.”

The palace claimed that Gen Kayani had agreed to launch an investigation, but that could not be immediately confirmed. Afghanistan warned that attacks from Pakistan could harm “improving trust and cooperation”.

Afghan and US officials say militants launching attacks on government and foreign targets in Afghanistan make use of rear bases in Pakistan. Pakistan says it has lost thousands of soldiers fighting militants.

The row over attacks comes amid wider diplomatic wrangling between the two countries and the United States, as the West seeks a way out of the nearly 10-year war in Afghanistan.