Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai has accused Pakistan of trying to create “anarchy and weakness” in Afghanistan, following a deadly airstrike on Kabul.

In an interview with UK’s Sky News, Karzai said Islamabad’s policies were aimed at keeping Afghanistan unstable and “downtrodden,” warning that such an approach would harm both countries.

He condemned the recent strike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, which Afghan officials say killed around 400 people, describing it as an “extremely unfortunate event” in the history of relations between the two neighbours.

Karzai said he personally heard the explosion, describing a “horrific sound” that shook his home and filled the surrounding area with smoke and dust.

The former leader, who governed Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014, said tensions between the two countries are longstanding, claiming Pakistan has struggled to maintain stable relations with successive Afghan governments.

He urged Pakistani leaders to change course and pursue a more constructive relationship, saying past strategies of interference and destabilisation had failed and would not succeed in the future.

Fighting between the two countries has intensified since late February, when Pakistan launched airstrikes it says targeted militant infrastructure. The United Nations estimates the violence has displaced more than 100,000 people.

Pakistan has denied targeting civilians, insisting its operations were aimed at militant sites and accusing Kabul of spreading “misleading” claims to deflect from alleged cross-Durand Line threats.

The International Union of Muslim Scholars has strongly condemned the deadly attack on a medical facility in Kabul, calling it a grave violation of Islamic principles and international law.

In a statement issued from Doha, the group said the strike—which killed hundreds and injured many more—was among the most serious sins in Islam, particularly as it took place during the final days of Ramadan, a period when the sanctity of life is especially emphasized.

The Union said targeting a hospital constitutes a clear breach of humanitarian norms that protect medical facilities under all circumstances, and voiced concern over escalating violence between two neighbouring Muslim countries.

It called on Pakistan’s government and military leadership to immediately halt such attacks and meet their religious and humanitarian responsibilities. The scholars also urged the formation of an independent and transparent investigation into the incident and civilian casualties.

The organisation appealed to both sides to cease hostilities and pursue dialogue, backing renewed mediation efforts led by Qatar and Turkey.

Emphasising unity and reconciliation, the Union said resolving disputes peacefully is both a religious obligation and essential for regional stability, adding that it stands ready to support efforts aimed at de-escalation and dialogue.