KABUL - The foreign ministry on Sunday said it would take the issue of cross-border attacks from Pakistan into Afghanistan to the powerful United Nations Security Council (UNSC) if the government directed to do so.
Hundreds of rockets and artillery shells have allegedly been fired into eastern Kunar province from Pakistan over the past one year. The non-stop incursions on Saturday prompted lawmakers to draw a no-confidence vote against the defense and interior ministers.

MPs said the two ministers should have long before dragged Islamabad to the UNSC over the shelling that Afghan officials say has so far left many killed and wounded and hundreds of families displaced.

Foreign ministry's spokesman Janan Musazai told reporters the ministry could report, complain and express the country's concern over the shelling to the UN, but such move needed the government's permission. However, he said any such extreme step should not be taken in haste, keeping in mind long-term future interests of the country.

Musazai said the foreign ministry had tried its level best to resolve the issue with the Pakistani government. The cross-border attacks required a national stance to be taken jointly by the government and the people of Afghanistan as the issue was beyond the foreign ministry's control, he said.

Without going into details, Musazai said the issue of rocket attacks had also been discussed at the National Security Council (NSC). Diplomacy has failed to produce any breakthrough, but Kabul would continue to carry on its diplomatic efforts until the issue was resolved, he said.

In an indirect reference to Durand Line, Musazai said Pakistan and Afghanistan had some other problems which had a historic background. (Pajhwok)