Trade suspended at Chaman border after deadly shooting.

QUETTA -- The Pak-Afghan border at Chaman has been closed for an indefinite period 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 leaving two others wounded on Sunday.

Official sources said that Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged fire for more than an hour following the incident, with reports that five personnel from the Afghan side were killed and 14 others were injured in the gun battle. Seven of the injured were shifted to Kandahar hospital, according to the reports pouring in from across the Afghan border.

The closure of border soon after the incident caused suspension of trade, including the Afghan transit trade, between the two countries.

Chaman Deputy Commissioner Abdul Hameed Zehri while confirming the border closure for an indefinite period said: 'A man crossed into Pakistani side at Friendship Gate from the Afghan border and opened fire at the security personnel posted at the gate, resulting in the martyrdom of one soldier and injuring two others.'

Shortly after the incident, he said, the Afghan personnel opened fire on Pakistani forces which retaliated and the firing continued for some time.

While Pakistan border authorities immediately summoned a flagship meeting of the Afghan forces and demanded that the armed man, who had fired at the Pakistani security personnel, be handed over to the Pakistani...