Pakistan has sharply rebutted India's condemnation of its recent airstrike in Kabul, accusing New Delhi of hypocrisy in its remarks on regional security matters.

The exchange erupted after India's Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday labelled Pakistan's Monday airstrike on a drug treatment centre in Kabul as a "barbaric" assault that killed over 400 people.

India described the incident as a blatant violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty, framing it as a massacre disguised as a counter-terrorism operation and a direct threat to peace in South Asia.

In response, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, dismissed India's statement as "baseless, misleading, and unwarranted" during its ongoing campaign against terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan.

Andrabi went further, asserting that India's criticism exposed New Delhi's "blatant hypocrisy and duplicity," urging it to cease support for terrorist groups allegedly operating from Afghan soil.

This verbal skirmish underscores the persistent friction between the nuclear-armed neighbours, whose relations have long been strained by mutual accusations of sponsoring militancy.

The Kabul strike itself has drawn widespread international scrutiny, with reports confirming heavy casualties at what was described by witnesses as a civilian rehabilitation facility for drug addicts.

Afghan authorities have yet to issue a full official tally, but local media and eyewitness accounts suggest the death toll exceeds 400, including women and children seeking treatment.

Pakistan maintains the target housed militants linked to anti-Pakistan groups, such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), justifying the action as a necessary pre-emptive measure.

India's intervention reflects its growing concerns over instability in Afghanistan, where it has invested billions in infrastructure and humanitarian aid since the Taliban takeover in 2021.

New Delhi fears that unchecked militancy could spill over into Kashmir and other border regions, exacerbating the longstanding Kashmir dispute that has sparked multiple wars between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan, in turn, has repeatedly accused India of backing the Baloch insurgency and TTP through proxies in Afghanistan, claims India vehemently denies.

The timing of the spat coincides with broader geopolitical shifts, including China's deepening ties with both nations via the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Recent diplomatic engagements, such as stalled backchannel talks on Kashmir, have yielded little progress, leaving military hotlines as the primary buffer against escalation.

India's strong wording—"unequivocally condemned" and "barbaric"—signals a hardening stance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, which prioritises a robust response to perceived threats.

Pakistan's retort, delivered promptly from Islamabad, aims to deflect blame and rally domestic support amid its own internal challenges, including economic woes and political instability.

International observers, including the United Nations, have called for an independent probe into the Kabul incident to ascertain facts and prevent further regional destabilisation.

The European Union and United States have urged restraint from all parties, emphasising dialogue over rhetoric in the volatile Afghan theatre.

This episode revives memories of past flare-ups, such as the 2019 Balakot airstrike by India in response to a Kashmir attack, which nearly led to open conflict. Analysts note that both sides' narratives serve domestic audiences: India bolstering its image as a responsible regional power, Pakistan portraying itself as a frontline state against terrorism.

However, the human cost in Kabul demands urgent attention, with aid agencies reporting overwhelmed hospitals and calls for humanitarian corridors.

Afghanistan's fragile Taliban administration faces mounting pressure to address the strike, which could strain its already tense relations with Islamabad.

For India-Pakistan ties, this row diminishes prospects for confidence-building measures, such as trade resumption or people-to-people contacts suspended since 2019.

Military analysts monitor cross-border troop movements closely, warning that miscalculations could spiral amid heightened alert levels.

In the wider Indo-Pacific context, the US-India strategic partnership contrasts with Pakistan's reliance on China, complicating multilateral efforts like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.

Regional forums such as SAARC remain paralysed, with India-Pakistan animosity as the chief obstacle.

As the dust settles on Kabul, the international community watches warily, hoping cooler heads prevail to avert a broader conflagration.

Both nations' foreign ministries have signalled no immediate further statements, but simmering distrust persists.

PTI