ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday condemned “provocations” by Afghanistan in Pakistan’s border areas, vowing a “strong and effective response” to incursions in defense of his country. Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistani border posts late Saturday, with the country’s ministry of defense saying this was in retaliation for alleged Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan this week. Afghan officials said dozens of Pakistani soldiers were killed in the clashes. Security officials in Pakistan said they had captured 19 Afghan posts, from where attacks were carried out.

Escalation comes after Pakistani airstrike in Kabul, with Taliban launching reprisals against military posts

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday condemned “unprovoked” firing by Afghan forces along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, saying its forces gave a…