New Delhi, March 17 – The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has expressed deep grief and condemnation following a Pakistani airstrike on a major addiction treatment hospital in Kabul, which resulted in the deaths of over 400 people and the injury of at least 250 others, according to Taliban officials and local media. This incident could be one of the deadliest in the Afghan capital.
“What was supposed to be a time of hope has turned into mourning. The leadership of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, along with the #AfghanAtalan team and staff, strongly condemns all acts of violence against innocent people. We stand in solidarity with the affected families and our people during this difficult time. Instead of moments of joy and celebration, we are experiencing grief and heartbreak. Lives that were looking forward to Eid, to healing, and to a brighter tomorrow have been tragically cut short, leaving behind shattered dreams and grieving families,” the ACB wrote on X.
Condemning the airstrike, the ACB added, “The devastating attack by the Pakistani regime on a rehabilitation facility, resulting in the loss of hundreds of innocent lives and the injury of countless others, has deeply saddened us all. The occurrence of such a tragedy during Ramadan makes the pain even more profound."
The board concluded by offering prayers for the victims and their families, stating, "We ask the Almighty Allah to grant the victims the highest ranks in Paradise and bless their families with patience, strength, and peace. Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return."
Earlier, Afghanistan all-rounder Rashid Khan condemned the reported civilian casualties from recent airstrikes, calling the targeting of civilian infrastructure a "war crime" and urging international bodies to investigate the incident.
In a post on X, the Afghan cricketer expressed deep sorrow over reports that civilians were killed in the strikes, which local officials say hit a major addiction treatment hospital in the Afghan capital.
"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 intentionally 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 will heal, and we will rise as a nation. We always do. Inshallah," he wrote.
