Afghanistan overreacted by calling off the military exercise in Pakistan

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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As foreign forces prepare to leave Afghanistan by the end of next year, tension between the two neighboring countries heightens. Afghanistan recently called off its military trip over alleged cross-border shelling by Pakistani troops while Pakistan censured the decision by labeling it as an overreaction.

Kabul asserts that Pakistan’s reaction time on peace process is sluggish and they are hesitant to cooperate at many levels. Pakistan in response denied all allegations calling them illusions. Afghan National Army was scheduled to send a team of 11 officers to the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta to partake in a simulated joint military exercise; however, Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry called it off on Wednesday because of the alleged artillery shelling from across the Pakistani border.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said: “It appears that this is an overreaction to a local incident. The report that I have is that there was some intrusion from the Afghan side to which our [military] authorities responded.  I might add that our troops are highly disciplined and responsible.”

Pakistan reiterated that certain Pakistani militants have taken refuge in border regions of Afghanistan to launch deadly cross-border raids inside Pakistan. Both the countries have time and again accused each other for supporting terrorist groups in the region.

“Pakistan government is sincere and is serious in advancing the peace process in Afghanistan and in facilitating peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. We think, we are in fact convinced, that a peaceful, stable, prosperous Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest, is in the interest of the region. We have taken every possible step to facilitate that. We do hope that this cooperation will continue in the largest interest of peace in Afghanistan,” Chaudhry added.