Afghanistan protests border constructions by Pakistan

KABUL, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan government on Monday protested the unilateral construction of facilities by neighboring Pakistan along its eastern border.

"The recent construction of a gate and other facilities along the so-called Durand line took place without any coordination with Afghanistan," Afghan Defense Ministry Spokesman General Zahir Azimi told reporters at a joint press conference here.

He made the comments one day after Afghan President Hamid Karzai ordered the country's Defense and Interior Ministries to take immediate action to remove a newly constructed gate, checkpoints and other installations recently built by Pakistan along the border in Goshta district in the eastern province of Nangarhar with Jalalabad as its capital, 120 km south of Kabul.

"According to agreements between two countries, before constructing any facilities closer to border areas the two sides must be informed," Azimi said, adding "Afghanistan will use all options to prevent such issues."

However, the Pakistani side earlier this month rejected Afghan government's claim that Pakistani military had started unilateral construction and was engaged in physical reinforcement activities along the bordering areas.

Meanwhile, spokesman with the NATO-led coalition or International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Brigadier General Gunter Katz at the same press conference said that the "ISAF continues to monitor the situation on the (Afghan-Pakistani) border and we remain on dialogue with the Afghan and Pakistani site on the constructive way."

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