Pakistan Rejects Afghan Taliban Claim of Kabul Rehab Centre Airstrike, Calls Allegation “False and Misleading”

Pakistan on Tuesday rejected claims by the Afghan Taliban that a Pakistani airstrike targeted a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, describing the allegation as “false and misleading.” Officials stated that the strikes were instead carefully directed at military installations and terrorist support infrastructure.

Afghan authorities had earlier alleged that nearly 400 people were killed in a Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation facility in Kabul, a claim that gained traction across several media platforms.

In response, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, through its fact-checking unit, dismissed the accusation, asserting that it was based on misinformation and manipulated material.

According to the ministry, the Afghan Taliban relied on AI-generated footage and outdated images as part of a broader propaganda effort against Pakistan.

“The claim circulated by an Afghan Taliban spokesperson using an old image to allege recent casualties is a clear case of deliberate disinformation aimed at misleading public perception,” the ministry said.

The ministry explained that the image presented as evidence dates back to May 2023 and was originally shared by the Afghan Taliban’s Interior Ministry at that time, undermining the credibility of the current claim.

It further stated that reusing old visuals to support new allegations reflects a deliberate attempt to construct a misleading narrative and create confusion about actual events, adding that such practices weaken credibility and indicate a pattern of information manipulation.

Addressing the specific allegation involving Omid Hospital, the ministry clarified that the facility is located several kilometres away from Camp Phoenix, identified as a military installation and ammunition storage site that was targeted. It also highlighted clear structural differences between the hospital and the intended target, rejecting the claim as baseless.

“It can also be well seen that the actual hospital is a multi-storied structure as compared to the military / terrorist infrastructure actually targeted, whose image is also attached; the difference and lie is clear to see”, the statement noted.

The ministry also questioned the removal of the original Afghan post, suggesting it may not have held up under scrutiny following multiple fact-checks.

“Was this a generated and AI clip that could not stand the multiple fact checks being made ? Afghan Taliban walking away from their manipulated post,” the ministry said.

Pakistan reiterated that on the night of March 16, it carried out precise strikes on military installations and terrorist support infrastructure in Kabul and Nangarhar.

The targeted locations reportedly included technical equipment and ammunition storage facilities used by the Afghan Taliban and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in operations against Pakistani civilians.

“The visible secondary detonations after the strikes clearly indicate the presence of large ammunition depots,” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X.

The ministry also raised questions about the alleged rehabilitation facility, asking why such a centre would be situated alongside an ammunition storage site within a military compound.

Officials emphasized that the operation was conducted with care to minimize civilian casualties and avoid collateral damage.

They added that portraying military targets as civilian facilities appeared to be an attempt to influence public sentiment and obscure alleged support for cross-border militancy.

“The claim is rejected as false and misleading, intended to distort facts and misguide public opinion,” the statement concluded.