Afghanistan's parliament voted Saturday to dismiss both the interior and defence ministers over continued cross-border shelling which the Afghan government has blamed on neighbouring Pakistan's army, as well as other issues.
The fractious parliament voted to remove the pair despite their promises to reinforce the border, although President Hamid Karzai has previously opted to keep ministers in their roles in acting capacity after similar votes.
"Both ministers failed to receive votes of confidence and we ask President Karzai to introduce new ministers," said Abdul Rahoof Ibrahimi, speaker of the house, after a bitter debate that underscores the problems in store for Karzai's administration ahead of 2014 presidential elections.
Afghanistan has rushed additional troops and long-range artillery to the mountainous Pakistan border as tensions continue to rise over cross-border shelling, which Afghan officials blame on Pakistan's military.
Afghanistan has, for months, accused Pakistan's army of firing hundreds of rockets into the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nuristan, targeting insurgent havens, but also forcing Afghan villagers to flee their homes.
"The defence ministry has reinforced army corps 201 and 203 and has specially created another division from which two battalions have already been sent there," Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak said before the vote to remove him. "We have also sent long-range artillery and ammunition for use by all army corps."
While both sides and NATOled foreign troops have held toplevel meetings to improve border security, Afghanistan's foreign ministry summoned Pakistan's ambassador in Kabul last week and warned that continued shelling would damage already fragile bilateral ties.
Pakistan's military has rejected the accusation and says it only responds to attacks by militants, including Pakistani Taliban operating from what Pakistan says are havens in Afghan territory.
The poorly marked border is easily crossed in both directions by Taliban fighters and other insurgent groups.
