Shahid Afridi Sparks Row Over Remarks on Indian Army and Kashmir Attack
Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has once again stirred controversy with his latest remarks, which have been perceived as belittling the Indian Army. Responding to the recent terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, Afridi alleged that India routinely blames Pakistan to conceal its own internal failures.
Participating in a television programme, Shahid Afridi referred to the Pahalgam attack and made several provocative statements. “Even if a small firecracker goes off in India, they immediately blame Pakistan,” said Afridi. “They boast about having 800,000 troops in Kashmir. With such a massive security presence, how could an attack on tourists still occur? Doesn't this prove that you (the Indian Army) are incompetent? You have failed even to provide basic security to the public,” he alleged.
Afridi further claimed that within just an hour of the incident, the entire Indian media began portraying Pakistan as the culprit. He also criticised some former Indian cricketers—whom he referred to as educated individuals—for levelling allegations against Pakistan without evidence. “If you have the courage, prove it with facts,” Afridi challenged.
However, former Pakistani Hindu cricketer Danish Kaneria offered a contrasting perspective. Expressing doubts over the Pakistan government's delayed condemnation of the Pahalgam attack, Kaneria sharply criticised a recent statement by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, who reportedly likened terrorists to freedom fighters. “Such remarks amount to an indirect admission by Pakistani leaders that they are promoting terrorism,” Kaneria stated.
Meanwhile, the Indian sporting fraternity unanimously condemned the Pahalgam attack. Legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma used social media platforms to strongly denounce the violence and extend deep condolences to the families of the victims. They urged the Indian government to ensure stringent punishment for the perpetrators. Former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly reacted by calling for a complete severance of cricketing ties with Pakistan and appealed to the government to crush terrorism with an iron fist.