In a stunning display that has lit up social media with anger and disbelief, former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi was warmly received by members of the Indian Kerala community during an event at the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD), just weeks after the horrific Pahalgam terror attack claimed 26 innocent lives.
The event, which was meant to celebrate culture and unity, turned into a flashpoint for political and patriotic fury. The moment Afridi took the stage to a loud chorus of “Boom Boom,” pausing a cultural program mid-way, drew sharp criticism, particularly in the wake of his incendiary anti-India comments following the April 22 attack in Kashmir.
WHY? WHY? WHY?
Former Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul received a rapturous welcome from the Indian Kerala community during an event held at the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD).
Afridi of all people?
— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar)
Shahid Afridi has never shied away from controversy, but his recent comments on Pakistan’s Samaa TV stirred nationalistic sentiments in India like never before. In a widely circulated clip, Afridi questioned the competence of the Indian Armed Forces, mocking the presence of 800,000 soldiers in Kashmir and yet, in his words, failing to prevent such a massive security breach.
“You have an 8 lakh strong army in Kashmir and this still happened? That means you are inefficient and useless,” Afridi declared on national television.
These remarks came after the Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba affiliate, took responsibility for the attack, which mainly targeted Indian and foreign tourists at Baisaran Meadows—a key tourist destination in Pahalgam. In response, the Indian government took the strong step of banning Afridi’s YouTube channel, joining a list that now includes Shoaib Akhtar and Basit Ali’s content blocks in India.
The outrage didn’t take long to erupt. Videos showing members of the Kerala community in Dubai cheering and chanting for Afridi quickly went viral, sparking what many have called a “national embarrassment.” What was intended as a gesture of hospitality instead became a lightning rod for criticism.
“Patriotism gone for a six… what a shame,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).
Another added, “How much more disloyal can one be? Especially after what happened in Pahalgam?”
The backlash also exposed the growing unease many Indians feel about cross-border engagements that ignore or gloss over serious national security concerns. For a country still mourning the loss of civilians in a devastating terror attack, the warmth shown to someone who openly questioned India’s sovereignty felt like a betrayal.
This incident goes beyond a cultural event gone wrong—it’s emblematic of the larger India-Pakistan dynamic, especially in the realm of soft diplomacy, sports, and public memory. Afridi, once a cricketing icon in the subcontinent, has increasingly positioned himself as a political voice, often making statements that strain his already delicate legacy in India.
His admiration for Kerala’s culture and cuisine, while seemingly benign, could not mask the hostility of his prior comments. The contradiction was not lost on the public, especially when national sentiments are raw.
The incident has sparked a flurry of trending keywords across search engines and social platforms alike: Shahid Afridi controversy, Kerala community Dubai, Pahalgam terror attack, anti-India comments, Afridi Boom Boom Dubai, India Pakistan tensions 2025, Lashkar-e-Taiba Pahalgam, and Afridi banned in India. These phrases are driving traffic as the event continues to stir debate in digital spaces and drawing the attention of media houses, influencers, and political figures.
