New Delhi, Mar 17: India on Tuesday strongly condemned Pakistan over the reported air strike on a hospital in Kabul, describing the incident as a “barbaric” act and calling for accountability for civilian casualties.
In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the attack on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in the Afghan capital had resulted in a large number of civilian deaths and could not be justified as a legitimate military operation.
The condemnation comes amid escalating tensions in the region following reports of a deadly strike that Afghan authorities say killed hundreds of people, while Pakistan has denied targeting civilians.
India said the attack amounted to a serious violation of international norms and posed a threat to regional stability.
“This is a cowardly and unconscionable act of violence that has claimed the lives of a large number of civilians in a facility which can by no means be justified as a military target,” the statement said.
The ministry accused Pakistan of attempting to portray the incident as a military operation, rejecting Islamabad’s claim that the strike targeted militant infrastructure.
“Pakistan is now trying to dress up a massacre as a military operation,” it said.
India also described the strike as an assault on Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“It is a blatant assault on Afghanistan’s sovereignty and a direct threat to regional peace and stability,” the statement added.
Highlighting the timing of the incident, India said the attack during the holy month of Ramadan made it “all the more reprehensible,” noting that the period is associated with peace and reflection among Muslim communities.
“There is no faith, no law, and no morality that can justify the deliberate targeting of a hospital and its patients,” the statement said.
India called on the international community to hold those responsible accountable and to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
“The international community must hold the perpetrators of this criminal act accountable,” the ministry said.
New Delhi also extended condolences to the families of those killed and expressed solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.
India reiterated its support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity amid the ongoing conflict.
The statement marks a sharp escalation in diplomatic rhetoric, as competing narratives over the Kabul strike continue to emerge from different countries. [KNT]
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