Pakistan military regime’s attack on Kabul draws global reactions

KABUL (Pajhwok): India, China, Human Rights Watch, the United Nations, the former US Special Representative for Afghanistan and the leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement have strongly condemned the Pakistani military regime’s attack on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul and expressed concern over civilian casualties.

Pakistan’s military regime carried out an airstrike around 9:00 PM on Monday night within the limits of the 9th police district of Kabul city, targeting a rehabilitation hospital for drug addicts.

Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), stated that so far 400 people have been killed and 250 others injured.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs, in a statement, condemned the attack, calling it “a cowardly and inhumane act of violence that claimed the lives of numerous civilians in a facility that cannot be justified as a military target.”

The statement added that Pakistan is attempting to portray this mass killing as a military operation.

The statement described the attack as a clear violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and a direct threat to regional peace and stability.

It also said the incident reflects Pakistan’s reckless behavior and its attempts to conceal domestic failures through escalating violence beyond its borders.

The source added that the international community must hold the perpetrators of this criminal act accountable and ensure that Pakistan’s targeting of civilians in Afghanistan ends immediately.

A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian, said in a press conference that the attack in Kabul’s 9th district has raised serious concerns over heavy civilian casualties.

He emphasized that dialogue and negotiation are the only effective ways to resolve disputes between the two countries.

China hopes both sides will exercise restraint, remain calm, begin direct talks as soon as possible, reach a ceasefire quickly and resolve their differences through dialogue.

He added that China will continue to play a constructive role in reducing tensions and improving relations between the two countries.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) also posted on X that it is concerned about the casualties resulting from Pakistan’s attack on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, adding that the incident must be investigated promptly and that civilian facilities should never be targeted.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, said on the social media platform X that reports of Pakistani airstrikes and civilian casualties in Afghanistan have left him “deeply concerned and saddened.” He expressed sympathy with the victims’ families.

Bennett called on all parties involved in the conflict to reduce violence and exercise “maximum restraint,” emphasizing the need to respect international law, including the protection of civilians and national infrastructure.

Former US Special Representative for Afghan Peace, Zalmay Khalilzad, also condemned the attack and called on the international community to denounce it and provide humanitarian assistance to the victims.

He expressed hope that the Islamic Emirate would reconsider its policies toward Pakistan and respond wisely to repeated attacks.

Khalilzad added: “I also hope that many conscientious Pakistanis will be unhappy and even angry at their military leadership’s inhumane and reckless decision, which has led to the killing and injury of Afghan civilians. Unfortunately, as recent developments in Pakistan show, the military leadership and its proxy government do not value public opinion.”

The leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, Manzoor Pashteen, wrote on X: “On the 27th of Ramadan, the terrorist Punjabi establishment (Pakistan) carried out a terrorist aerial bombardment on a hospital in Kabul, killing hundreds of innocent civilians undergoing treatment and injuring many others. We stand with our Afghan people against this tragic incident.”

He stated that PTM will develop a plan to raise the voice of these victims worldwide.

Pashteen added: “Some clerics in Pakistan have historically issued fatwas for the destruction of Kabul; they should at least feel some shame over the dismembered bodies of innocent patients lying in hospitals.”

He said that oppression on both sides of the Durand Line is increasing day by day, and emphasized that through national consultation and unity, the strength of the people can be consolidated for the benefit of the nation and against its enemies.

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