Firefighters stand next to a fire truck at the site of a drug users rehabilitation hospital destroyed in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 17, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Several Afghanistan cricketers have spoken out against the civilian casualties reported in Kabul following airstrikes by Pakistan, expressing grief and calling for justice.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Government spokesman said early Tuesday (March 17, 2026) the death toll from an airstrike by Pakistan that hit a hospital treating drug users in the Afghan capital Kabul has increased to 400. Pakistan had earlier denied that it had hit a hospital.
The latest bombardment highlights rapidly deteriorating relations between Pakistan and the Taliban administration as both sides continue to trade accusations over security issues.
Rashid Khan took to X to express his outrage, saying he was “deeply saddened by the latest reports of civilian casualties in Kabul”. The all-rounder added that targeting civilian homes, educational facilities, or medical infrastructure, whether intentional or accidental, amounts to a war crime.
“I am deeply saddened by the latest reports of civilian casualties as a result of Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul. Targeting civilian homes, educational facilities or medical infrastructure, either intentional or by mistake, is a war crime. The sheer disregard for human lives, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, is sickening and deeply concerning. It will only fuel division and hatred. I call upon the UN and other human rights agencies to thoroughly investigate this latest atrocity and hold the perpetrators to account. I stand with my Afghan people in this difficult time. We shall heal, and we will rise as a nation. We always do. Inshallah!” Rashid Khan wrote.
Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi shared a video on X, writing, “Tonight in Kabul, hope was extinguished at a hospital. Young men seeking treatment were murdered in a bombing by the Pakistani military regime. Mothers waited at the gates, calling their sons’ names. On the 28th night of Ramadan, their lives were cut short.”
Similarly, Ibrahim Zadran, who is the captain of the T20I side, condemned the air strike by Pakistan. “Tonight I heard a massive explosion here in Kabul. Moments later, we saw flames rising into the sky from a hospital. Our brothers who intended to fast tomorrow are now gone, or wounded. My thoughts are with every family grieving tonight. Kabul is in pain. We pray for justice.”
Published – March 17, 2026 10:22 am IST
