‘Trying to disguise massacre as military operation’: India slams Pakistan over air strikes on Afghan hospitals

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday strongly condemned Pakistan’s attack on a hospital in Kabul, calling it a “massacre disguised as a military operation”.“ALSO READ | Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan: Kabul drug treatment center attacked, killing 400; Park says military infrastructure is target“This was a cowardly and unconscionable act of violence that claimed the lives of a large number of civilians in a facility that could never be considered a military target. Pakistan is now trying to disguise a massacre as a military operation,” the MEA said in an official statement.“This heinous act of aggression by Pakistan is a flagrant violation of Afghan sovereignty and a direct threat to regional peace and stability. It reflects an ongoing pattern of reckless behavior and repeated attempts to externalize internal failures through increasingly desperate acts of violence abroad,” the MEA added. The statement also noted that the attack was carried out during the holy month of Ramzan, making the attack “all the more reprehensible.”ALSO READ | WATCH: Flames and huge plume of smoke seen after Pakistani airstrike on Kabul hospital, killing 400 It called on the international community to hold those responsible accountable and ensure that Pakistan immediately ceases its actions against Afghan civilians.The statement read: “India expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the victims, wishes a speedy recovery to the injured, and stands with the people of Afghanistan at this tragic moment. We also reiterate our unwavering support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”hundreds of people dieHamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban regime in Kabul, posted on X that the death toll from the Pakistani military attack has risen to 400, with another 250 injured.Fitrat wrote: “The Pakistani military regime conducted an airstrike at around 9:00 tonight on the Omid Drug Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed hospital dedicated to treating drug addiction. The attack resulted in the destruction of large parts of the hospital.”ALSO READ | ‘Fabricating imaginative stories of Islamophobia’: India lashes out at Pakistan; cites Afghanistan to attack UNThe Pakistani military has carried out multiple attacks in Kabul in recent weeks as part of an ongoing conflict fueled by Islamabad’s claims that the Taliban regime is harboring “extremists” responsible for cross-border attacks. The conflict between the two sides escalated in October last year, resulting in dozens of deaths, and then subsided briefly before erupting again last month. Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has since described the situation as “open war”.