Chaman border remains closed for third day.

QUETTA -- The Chaman border remained closed for a third consecutive day on Tuesday, but the authorities allowed thousands of Pakistani and Afghan nationals to cross into their respective countries through an emergency route.

The border was closed after an armed man from the Afghan side opened fire on Pakistani security personnel at Friendship Gate, resulting in the martyrdom of one soldier and injuries to two others on Sunday.

'The Friendship Gate and frequent crossing route are closed and would be opened only after the armed terrorist who opened fire on security personnel is handed over to Pakistan,' a senior security official told Dawn, adding that negotiations were under way between Kabul and Islamabad to find out a solution to the issue.

According to the Afghan media, government's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has officially condemned the incident and announced that a high-powered commission had been formed to arrest elements involved in the firing and investigate those Afghan officials who showed negligence in performing their duties.

The Pakistani border authorities allowed several thousand Pakistanis to cross into Chaman. They were stranded in Kandahar, Spin Boldak and other areas of Afghanistan after the closure of the border. 'We have allowed...