PAKISTAN has rejected Amnesty International’s call for an investigation into a March air strike by its forces on a drug rehabilitation centre in the Afghanistan.

The human rights group says the attack amounts to a war crime, but Pakistan dismissed the allegations today, claiming the operation was a lawful act of self-defence.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told a news briefing in Islamabad that Pakistan “completely rejects the allegations,” saying it was “unfortunate” that such serious claims had been made “without any credible evidence.”

His remarks came the day after Amnesty said it had found no evidence to support Pakistan’s claim that Kabul’s Omid drug rehabilitation centre was being used for military purposes or to store weapons and ammunition when it was hit on March 16.

Afghanistan has said the strike killed about 400 civilians. Pakistani officials dispute the death toll and maintain that the strike targeted a legitimate military site.

Amnesty said it had analysed more than 60 photos and videos, including footage released by Pakistan’s military, reviewed more than 30 satellite images and interviewed witnesses and other sources.

It said it had sked Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry on July 9 whether an investigation had been launched and requested evidence supporting Islamabad’s justification for the strike but had received no response before publishing its report.

The strike came amid months of escalating cross-border hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan.