Rashid Khan Slams Pakistan Over Kabul Strike, Calls It a War Crime

March 17, 2026

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — Afghanistan’s cricket icon and T20I captain, Rashid Khan, has issued a scathing condemnation of the Pakistani military following a devastating airstrike that reportedly leveled a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul. Taking to social media on the 28th night of Ramadan, the star leg-spinner labeled the targeting of medical infrastructure a “war crime” and expressed deep grief over the loss of hundreds of civilian lives.

“A War Crime”: Rashid Khan’s Emotional Outcry

In a poignant post on X (formerly Twitter) that quickly went viral, Rashid Khan didn’t mince words about the tragedy. “I am deeply saddened by the latest reports of civilian casualties as a result of Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul,” he wrote. He emphasized that the nature of the target—a facility intended for healing—made the act particularly heinous.

“Targeting civilian homes, educational facilities, or medical infrastructure, either intentional or by mistake, is a war crime,” Rashid added. He called the disregard for human life “sickening,” especially during the holy month of Ramadan, and warned that such actions would only “fuel division and hatred” between the two nations.

Veteran Mohammad Nabi Joins the Condemnation

Rashid was not alone in his outcry. Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi also expressed his heartbreak, describing a scene of absolute despair. “Tonight, in Kabul, hope was extinguished at a hospital. Young men seeking treatment were murdered… Mothers waited at the gates, calling their sons’ names,” Nabi posted.

The unified stance of Afghanistan’s sporting heroes reflects the national mood of mourning. Other cricketers, including Naveen-ul-Haq and Wafadar Momand, also reacted, with Naveen comparing the scale and nature of the strikes to global humanitarian crises in Gaza, highlighting the severity of the situation.

International Investigation Urged

Beyond expressing grief, Rashid Khan made a direct appeal to the global community. He urged the United Nations (UN) and other international human rights agencies to launch a thorough and independent investigation into the strike on the Omid 2,000-bed rehabilitation hospital.

“Hold the perpetrators to account,” Rashid demanded, asserting that the Afghan people would “heal and rise as a nation” despite the repeated atrocities. His call for accountability comes at a time when the Taliban government claims the death toll has reached 400, while Pakistan maintains it only targeted “militant infrastructure.”

Tensions Spill Over into Sports

This isn’t the first time the worsening conflict has impacted the cricketing world. Last year, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) withdrew from a Tri-Nation series involving Pakistan following similar border tensions. The current “open war” scenario has effectively suspended all sporting ties, with Afghan players using their global platforms to act as the voice of their grieving fellow citizens.

As rescue teams continue to sift through the charred ruins of the Kabul facility, the words of its national icons remain a rallying cry for a population caught in the crossfire of a brutal regional conflict.