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PAK minister criticises ICC over support for Afghan cricketers killed after violent air strike

Abhinav Tyagi

Afghanistan cricket - (Source: AFP)Afghanistan cricket - (Source: AFP)

On Friday, October 17, a massive tragedy hit Afghanistan after Pakistan's deadly strikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province killed three budding cricketers. The Afghanistan cricket board took to social media to inform the fans and slammed Pakistan for their cowardly act.

An airstrike launched by the Pakistan military killed several Afghans, including three young cricketers, Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, during a public gathering in Paktika.

Several Afghan cricketers took to the internet to slam Pakistan and also pulled out of the upcoming tri-series against the Men in Green. Further, on Sunday, October 19, the BCCI and also the ICC slammed Pakistan and condemned the recent killings of three cricketers in Afghanistan. 

ICC condems recent attack on Afghanistan cricketers

The ICC too put up a post slamming the recent act of violence from Pakistan. The International Cricket council tweeted, 

"The International Cricket Council (ICC) is deeply saddened and appalled by the tragic deaths of three young and promising Afghan cricketers, Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, who lost their lives in a recent airstrike in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. The three young men had returned home after participating in a friendly cricket match when they were killed in an attack that also claimed the lives of several civilians. The ICC strongly condemns this act of violence that has robbed families, communities, and the cricketing world of three bright talents whose only ambition was to play the sport they loved."

Pakistan slams ICC for recent tweet on Afghanistan killings

In the latest events, a minister from Pakistan has hit back at ICC and its chairman Jay Shah. Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information, Ata Tarar, labelled the International Cricket Council as 'biased' and 'selective'. 

“We dismiss and condemn this statement by the ICC, which gives the impression and makes claims that three Afghan cricketers were killed in Pakistan strikes. The ICC has not bothered to independently verify the claims by the Afghanistan board and issued a statement claiming a Pakistan attack,” Tarar said in a statement on Sunday as quoted by NDTV.

Not only ICC, but the minister also slammed Jay Shah for his tweet and also urged the International council to be unbiased and independent.

“It is strange that a few hours after the ICC statement, the Chairman of the ICC, Jay Shah, repeated the same words on his social media account, and the Afghanistan board followed with similar words. The Afghanistan board made statements without presenting any real evidence. This seriously raises questions on the ICC's independence and unbiased approach. An international sports governing body should not be promoting a controversial claim yet to be verified," he added.

Notably, the PCB has not made any remark in this matter and have replaced Afghanistan with Zimbabwe for the upcoming tri-series involving Sri Lanka.