Lawmakers in Afghanistan’s parliament on Thursday criticized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over what they described as a diplomatic failure to address recent tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Lawmakers also condemned recent mortar attacks by the Pakistani soldiers in Nari district of the eastern province of Kunar, which, according to the Afghan Ministry of Defense, left at least three civilians dead and three others injured.

“The government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must take a clear diplomatic and political position towards the issue,” said a lawmaker from Paktia province, Khalid Assad.

“In view of the differences that exist within our government and the lack of authority by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs towards tackling such issues: these are the reasons that prevent us from acting in the right way when it comes to cross-border issues,” said another lawmaker, Abdul Zahir Tamim.

TOLOnews reporters made consecutive efforts to seek a comment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the ministry did not respond.

This comes three days after the Pakistani Border Police reportedly started mortar attacks on Afghanistan’s soil, a move that the Afghan Ministry of Defense declared as a clear violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.

According to the Defense Ministry, the Afghan border security forces retaliated to Pakistani shelling.

“The Pakistan military carried out series of attacks on Afghanistan’s territory which is against the international principles and norms,” said Rohullah Aahmadzai, spokesman for the Defense Ministry.

As well as in the past, Afghan and Pakistani military forces have exchanged firing near the Durand Line.

Last month Pakistani police raided a facility known as the Afghan Market in Peshawar city, the capital of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and they also brought down Afghanistan’s national flag from the top of the market.

The raid on the facility drew strong backlash from the officials in Kabul.

Afghanistan’s embassy in Pakistan later announced the closure of its consular section in Peshawar indefinitely.