New Delhi, November 17
The Pakistani Army made several intrusions into Afghanistan last month and captured a part of Afghan territory in its elusive search for strategic depth, but the Afghan forces retaliated and pushed back the Pakistani intruders.

According to the latest classified information received here through diplomatic channels yesterday, the Pakistani Army crossed the Durand Line - the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan - on the night of October 10 and set up two posts near Mushtri Kandan inside Afghan territory.

Again in the third week of October, the Pakistani army made two intrusions into the Afghan territory bordering Khost. On October 23, the Pakistani forces entered 4 km into Afghan territory and hoisted the Pakistani flag.

The Afghan forces are understood to have retaliated on October 24 and pushed them back.

Quoting the most recent information, well-placed sources said a battalion of the Pakistani army had seized a swath of Afghan territory, 7 km deep and 15 km wide. This area was reportedly captured by Pakistan on October 30.

Pakistan is claiming ownership of this territory which it claims to have abandoned when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979. The Afghan army and the Foreign Office are understood to have lodged a protest with Islamabad and a meeting of defence personnel from both sides may take place to resolve the issue.

The Durand Line was demarcated between Pakistan and Afghanistan under a 100-year agreement which lapsed in 1983. The agreement came into being after the third Afghan war and saw Britain acquiring vast tracts of Pashtoon territory which was merged with the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

These areas became part of Pakistan after independence, despite repeated attempts by successive Afghan governments to renegotiate the boundary. Pakistan, on its part, also made many attempts to get the agreement extended.