By Mashal Khan

Islamabad— Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has strongly rejected the recent statement by the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the deaths of three Afghan cricketers in an airstrike in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, calling it “selective, biased and premature.” 

Tarar’s response comes after the ICC issued a media release condemning the incident. The ICC statement expressed deep sorrow over the loss of three young Afghan players — Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah and Haroon — who were killed in what was described as an airstrike in Paktika province. The global cricket body said it “strongly condemns this act of violence” and stands in solidarity with the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).

In a post on X, Tarar said that Pakistan “a prime victim of cross-border terrorism” rejects the characterization that the players died in an airstrike, arguing that the ICC provided no independent verification of the claim. He accused the ICC of advancing “a disputed allegation, as established,” without evidence. 

Tarar further pointed to what he described as a “troubling pattern of amplification” in which the ICC’s Chair, Jay Shah, echoed the claim on social media and the ACB issued a similar statement without providing new proof — describing it as an “echo-chamber” effect. He also linked this incident to prior controversies involving Pakistan cricket that he said have eroded confidence in the ICC’s neutrality.

The minister urged the ICC to avoid definitive attributions without verified evidence, to remain impartial, and to uphold the spirit of sport free from political narratives. He explicitly called for “immediate correction” of the record and anticipated that the regulator would treat all parties equally regardless of nationality. 

The ICC statement had read: “The ICC is deeply saddened and appalled by the tragic deaths of three young and promising Afghan cricketers … The attack 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.” 

The row brings into sharp relief the intersection of regional conflict and international sport. The killings reportedly occurred amid cross-border violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan and have already prompted the ACB to withdraw from a tri-nation T20 series in Pakistan. 

As tensions escalate, Pakistan’s government has asserted that credible sports regulators should not become conduits for unverified narratives or political pressure. Whether the ICC will respond to Pakistan’s demands for clarification remains to be seen.