NEW DELHI: Former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi has expressed his strong views on the recent Pahalgam terror attack, where 28 Indian tourists tragically lost their lives. In a candid statement, Afridi discussed the handling of the situation and criticized the rapid shift in blame towards Pakistan, without substantial evidence.
โIn my opinion, everything was happening for an hour, the terrorists were causing havoc there for an hour, right? Out of the eight lakh soldiers, no one showed up, and when they did, they blamed Pakistan within ten minutes.โ
Afridiโs comments reflect his concerns about the hasty blame game following the attack. He pointed out the lack of immediate action from Indian forces during the ongoing attack, raising questions about the countryโs response to such critical situations. He also highlighted the subsequent media reports showing militants allegedly killed in the attack, only for it to be revealed later that they were still alive, a mistake Afridi believes should not have happened.
WTF, Shahid Afridi is blaming India for the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
Heโs saying India killed its own people.
And BJP leader Anurag Thakur chose to sit, talk and click pictures with this guy. ๐คฎ๐คฎ pic.twitter.com/pXLn03kHrh
โ Dr Nimo Yadav 2.0 (@DrNimoYadav) April 27, 2025
โI mean, they keep making blunders themselves, they keep killing people and then show videos claiming that no, they are still alive. I mean, donโt do this. Terrorism is something that no religion supports, and we always stand for peace. Pakistanโs message is one of peace, Islam is a message of peace, always.โ
Afridi Urges Peaceful Dialogue and Criticizes Hasty Blame on Pakistan
Afridi also reiterated Pakistanโs consistent efforts to build better relations with India despite the challenges. Reflecting on his personal experiences as a captain, he recalled the uncertainty Pakistan faced during the 2016 World Cup, where the team wasnโt even sure if their flight would go ahead due to threats received prior to the event. Afridi emphasized that, despite such challenges, Pakistan continues to support peaceful interactions with India.
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โWe have always tried to maintain good relations with India. We have always received numerous threats from there, even before tours. We never knew whether we would go or not. If you remember the 2016 World Cup, we were in Lahore, and we didnโt even know if our flight would happen or not. I was leading the team as captain, and I had no idea if we would be flying or not.โ
Afridi is a firm believer in sports diplomacy as a tool to foster peace and understanding between nations. He pointed to the sports exchanges between India and Pakistan, such as cricket and kabaddi, as an example of how these activities can help improve relations.
โSo, I always say that sports diplomacy is the best form of diplomacy. Because of sports, your kabaddi team comes to India. You play cricket so much with each other. So, if you want to do it, then do it fully. If you want to stop, then stop it entirely.โ
In his statement, Afridi has called for a more thoughtful and transparent approach to handling sensitive situations like the Pahalgam attack. His call for peace and the role of sports in building stronger ties between India and Pakistan continues to resonate, as both countries navigate the complex political landscape.
