Westminster is seething this afternoon. A Pakistani airstrike has levelled a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul. The death toll is climbing. British charities on the ground are calling it a blatant violation of international law.
Details are still murky. But early reports suggest the facility was packed with patients and staff. It offered refuge to addicts seeking a second chance. Now it's a pile of rubble.
Whitehall sources tell me the Foreign Office is 'gravely concerned.' That's diplomatic code for livid. Several British NGOs operated there. They are now demanding an independent investigation.
The Pakistani government insists the target was a militant hideout. A convenient excuse. The timing is awkward. London has been courting Islamabad for trade deals. This complicates things.
Backbenchers are already drafting angry letters. Expect urgent questions in the Commons tomorrow. The mood in the Lobby is grim. Everyone knows the civilians caught in the crossfire. Again.
The question is: how will the PM react? He needs Pakistan on side for Afghanistan stability. But he can't ignore civilian casualties. Not with an election looming.
Watch this space. The fallout has only just begun.
