Pakistan lashes out again, this time at ICC for a biased statement in solidarity with Afghanistan

Ata Tarar, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information, has criticised the International Cricket Council's (ICC) statement over the deaths of three cricket players in Afghanistan, calling it "biased" and "selective." Without mentioning Pakistan in their respective comments, the BCCI and the ICC expressed their condolences for the deaths of Afghan cricket players in an aircraft attack in the Paktika Province on October 19.

Following the Afghanistan Cricket Board's (ACB) decision to pull its side from a tri-series in Pakistan next month, the governing bodies responded. Later, the Pakistan Cricket Board declared that Zimbabwe would play Afghanistan in the tri-series, which also includes Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan stated that 10 Afghans, including three cricket players, were killed in the Paktika border region when Pakistani aircraft unexpectedly attacked, violating the 48-hour ceasefire. The ICC expressed solidarity with the Afghan cricket players and their families in a statement following the attack, calling the crime inhuman. In a different statement, the BCCI had also made the same announcement.

“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," Tarar said in a statement on Sunday. “The ICC has not bothered to independently verify the claims by the Afghanistan board and issued a statement claiming a Pakistan attack," he said.

“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," Tarar added.

The Pakistani minister again raised the issue of India's refusal to shake hands during the Asia Cup, citing the ICC's actions and attempting to demonstrate their partiality.

“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. The ICC should remain independent and avoid making contentious statements on the incitement of others,” he said.

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