Hundreds of tribesmen, protesting the killing of 16 Pakistanis by the Afghan security forces, pelted stones at the building of Afghan consulate in the Pakistani southwestern city of Quetta on Saturday.

Some 500 members of Noorzai tribe staged a rally outside the Afghan consulate in Quetta and threw stones at the building and damaged portraits of Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the building.

They demanded punishing those responsible for the killing.

A group of 16 Pakistanis were killed by the Afghan forces in the border town of Spin Boldak a few days ago. Pakistan said that they had gone to Mazar-i-Sharif to participate in the Persian New Year's celebrations.

However, the Afghan government has claimed that they were Taliban fighters.

The police rushed to the consulate and controlled the situation. The demonstrators dispersed after the police arrival. No one was arrested.

Pakistan has also lodged a formal protest with the Afghan government and demanded inquiry into the incident.

Source: Xinhua