Several political leaders in Pakistan have jointly criticized the recent Pakistani airstrikes on a rehabilitation center in Afghanistan, calling it an “undeclared war” that led to civilian casualties. The airstrikes, which targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul on March 16, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and injuries to several others. The Islamabad government has faced backlash domestically for its military actions against Afghanistan, with Maulana Fazlur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan stating that the attempts to destabilize the Afghan government were misguided.
Warning about the potential serious consequences of such military actions, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, a provincial leader of Pakistan’s Awami National Party, emphasized that initiating a war could have uncontrollable outcomes. The report highlighted that Pakistan’s actions were condemned as a war crime for violating humanitarian norms and international laws, leading to criticism of the government’s policies at home. Political analyst Gul Mohammaduddin Mohammadi criticized the attacks by Pakistani forces, stating that causing civilian casualties goes against UN principles, human rights, and Islamic values.
Pakistan faced widespread criticism for its military strikes inside Afghanistan, which resulted in civilian deaths, territorial sovereignty breaches, and regional instability. Despite Pakistan’s claims of precise airstrikes targeting terror camps without collateral damage, the ground realities revealed a different and distressing picture. The airstrikes hit innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan, including schools, homes, and medical facilities. Georgette Gagnon, the officer-in-charge of the UN mission in Afghanistan, described the damaged facility as a well-known rehabilitation center run by the Afghan government.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) labeled the Pakistani airstrikes on the rehabilitation center in Kabul as an “unlawful attack,” warning that it could constitute a war crime. The incident raised serious concerns about civilian safety and adherence to international law, prompting calls for an impartial investigation by Pakistani authorities to determine accountability. Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at HRW, emphasized the need for accountability and justice in the aftermath of the airstrikes on the medical facility in Kabul.
