India condemns Pakistan's airstrikes on Afghanistan, calls out 'Old Habit' of blaming neighbors

India has strongly condemned Pakistan's recent airstrikes in Afghanistan's Paktika province, which resulted in the tragic loss of over 40 lives, including women and children. Calling it an "old practice" of Pakistan to shift blame onto its neighbors, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed deep concern over the incident.

"We have noted media reports on the airstrikes targeting Afghan civilians, including women and children, leading to several precious lives being lost," said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Jaiswal further remarked, "We unequivocally condemn any attack on innocent civilians. It is an old habit of Pakistan to blame its neighbors for its own internal failures. We have also taken note of the Afghan spokesperson's response to the situation."

Details of the Airstrikes

On the night of December 24, Pakistani airstrikes targeted the Barmal district in Paktika province, Afghanistan, killing at least 46 people and injuring six others, primarily children. The strikes reportedly impacted seven villages, with Laman village suffering severe casualties, including the deaths of five members of a single family.

Border Tensions Escalate

The airstrikes have sparked heightened tensions at the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Protests erupted in Afghanistan, condemning the deadly attack, and violent clashes followed. During these confrontations, one Pakistani paramilitary soldier was killed, and seven others were injured in cross-border exchanges of fire.

Security officials from both nations confirmed sporadic skirmishes involving heavy weaponry along the border separating Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Afghanistan’s Khost province.

This incident further strains the already fragile relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, raising concerns over regional stability and civilian safety.