The Afghanistan Sports Journalists Federation (ASJF) has “strongly” condemned what it described as a “cowardly and unlawful” airstrike by Pakistan’s military regime in Paktika Province, which reportedly claimed the lives of several civilians, including three local cricket players.
According to a statement released by the ASJF on Friday evening, the airstrike targeted the Argun district of Paktika, where local cricket players were among those affected. The Afghanistan Cricket Board identified the victims as Kabir, Haroon, and Sebghatullah, describing them as club-level players who were actively involved in local cricket development.
“With deep sorrow, we have learned that the Pakistani military regime carried out an airstrike in Argun District, targeting cricket players and other Afghan civilians,” the ASJF statement said. “This inhumane and cowardly act is a violation of all international laws and norms of warfare, and a source of shame for the Pakistani military.”
The Federation expressed its solidarity with the victims’ families, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), and the broader Afghan cricket community, calling the attack “a dark moment for Afghan sport.”
ACB Condemns Pakistan Airstrike That Killed Cricketers in Paktika
In the same statement, the ASJF welcomed and supported the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s decision to cancel its upcoming T20 series against Pakistan in protest over the incident.
“The ASJF stands in full support of the ACB’s decision to suspend sporting engagements with Pakistan as a mark of national dignity and protest against this brutal act,” the statement added.
No immediate comment was available from Pakistani authorities regarding the allegations.
Despite reports that Pakistan and Afghanistan had mutually agreed on Friday to extend their 48-hour ceasefire until the conclusion of planned talks in Doha, the truce was shattered by the latest airstrikes in Paktika.
According to three Pakistani security officials and one Afghan Taliban source quoted by international media, a Pakistani delegation had already arrived in Doha, while an Afghan delegation was expected to reach the Qatari capital on Saturday. However, Afghan officials accused Pakistan of breaking the ceasefire through renewed cross-border attacks that killed several civilians and athletes in Urgun District.
