Anti-Pakistan protest in Kabul

By Jannat Jalil
BBC, Kabul

Several hundred protesters have taken to the streets of the Afghan capital, Kabul, chanting anti-Pakistan slogans.

The demonstration comes a week after the Pakistani embassy was attacked and ransacked by a group of men during protests following reports Pakistani troops had made military incursions into Afghan territory.

The last protest turned violent and raised tension

This time heavy security measures were in force around the Pakistani embassy and the protest passed off peacefully.

This is the first such demonstration since the attack on the Pakistani embassy last week.

At the time, the Pakistani ambassador had criticised the Afghan authorities for failing to protect the embassy even though they had known a demonstration against Pakistan was being held that day.

Recent tensions

This time, the roads around the embassy were sealed off and large numbers of troops present.

The latest protest coincided with a meeting in Kabul of Afghan, Pakistani and United States officials to discuss the recent tensions over the border.

The demonstrators tried to march past the venue where the talks were being held, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but were blocked by police officers, who used their truncheons to form a human chain in front of the protesters.

The demonstration comes a day after Afghanistan said its investigations had confirmed that Pakistani troops have crossed the border between the two countries.

But the incursions are only said to have been several hundred metres in two places on what is a poorly-defined border, and it is not clear if the troops are still there.

Pakistan has denied crossing over into Afghan territory, saying it is only operating on the border to catch suspected Taleban and al-Qaeda fighters.