PAK Ex-Cricketer Criticizes India's Security Measures Following Deadly Kashmir Attack

In the aftermath of a devastating terror attack in the Pahalgam region of south Kashmir on Tuesday, which resulted in the tragic loss of 26 civilian lives, former Pakistani cricket captain Shahid Afridi has voiced strong criticism of the security provided in the area.

Speaking on Samaa TV, Afridi questioned the effectiveness of the large Indian military presence in Kashmir. He stated: "Patakha phat jaata hai wahaan par, Pakistan ne kiya (Even if a firecracker bursts there, they will blame it on Pakistan)".

He further added: "Tum logon ki 8 lakh hi fauj hai Kashmir mein aur yeh ho gaya. Iska matlab nalayak ho, nikamme ho na tum log security de nahi sake logon ko (You have an 800,000-strong army in Kashmir and this still happened. It means you are inefficient and useless if you can't provide security to the people.)

The attack occurred in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam and is considered one of the most severe incidents in the Kashmir Valley since the Pulwama attack in 2019. Terrorists opened fire on civilians, leaving at least 26 dead and several others injured.

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The Resistance Front (TRF), identified as an affiliate of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the attack, which has been widely condemned internationally.

Afridi also commented on the immediate aftermath and media coverage in India. "Hairat hoti hai ki hamle ke ek ghante ke baad hi unka media Bollywood ban gaya. Khuda ke liye har kuch ko Bollywood mat banao" (It's surprising that within an hour of the attack, their media turned into Bollywood. For God's sake, don't make everything Bollywood). he remarked, expressing his astonishment at the tone and content of some Indian news outlets. 

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He further stated he was "Main hairaan ho gaya, balki main enjoy kar raha tha jis tarah ki woh baatein kar rahe they" (astonished, in fact, enjoying the way they were talking).

He further added "Main keh raha tha dekho inki soch, yeh apne aap ko padhe likhe log kehte hain" (I was saying, look at their thinking, and they call themselves educated people).

While not naming specific individuals, Afridi also directed criticism towards the Indian cricket fraternity for what he perceived as a rush to blame Pakistan for the terror attack. 

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He highlighted the contradiction of prominent former Indian cricketers, "Do cricketers jo India se itni cricket khele hue hain. Ambassadors reh chuke hain, top cricketers reh chuke hain unki taraf se direct Pakistan" (who have a long history of playing cricket with Pakistan and served as ambassadors of the sport, directly pointing fingers at Pakistan).