Kerala group in Dubai flayed for honouring Shahid Afridi amid his anti-India remarks and Pahalgam attack fallout
PTC Web Desk: A Dubai-based Kerala community is under fire on social media for warmly receiving former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi at a recent cultural event, just weeks after his controversial remarks following the Pahalgam Terror Attack that killed 26 security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.
A video from the event, now widely circulated on social platforms, shows Afridi being enthusiastically welcomed on stage with loud cheers and chants of “Boom Boom,” a nickname popularised by his explosive batting style. Community members even halted their cultural performances to greet the cricketer. Afridi, smiling, responded to the chants saying, “Hogaya Boom Boom,” and praised Indian cuisine, stating he especially enjoys food from Kerala.
"The Mysterious India Series": Shahid Afridi criticizes India and the Indian armed forces while supporting extremists, yet the Indian community from Kerala in Dubai welcomes him." My head bows in shame and my blood boils. What would that soldier on borders would think when he… pic.twitter.com/kYU4pmKos8 — Lt Col Sushil Singh Sheoran, Veteran (@SushilS27538625) May 30, 2025
However, this public display of admiration sparked outrage online due to Shahid Afridi’s recent inflammatory comments made during a televised interview in Pakistan. Appearing on Samaa TV, Afridi dismissed the Indian narrative around the Pahalgam attack, saying, “Even if a firecracker bursts in India, they blame Pakistan.” He went on to mock the Indian Army’s capabilities, stating, “You have 800,000 troops in Kashmir, yet such incidents occur. It shows you’re incompetent and incapable of ensuring security.”
He further ridiculed Indian media, suggesting they dramatised the attack coverage like a Bollywood production, and took indirect jabs at Indian cricketers for holding Pakistan responsible.
The Pahalgam attack was later claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based banned terrorist outfit.
Afridi’s warm reception by the Kerala diaspora in Dubai prompted a wave of criticism across X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms. One widely shared post read: “What a shame!! Desperate Keralites welcome this anti-India Paki with ‘Boom Boom’ at an event in Dubai, right after Pahalgam and his venomous anti-India rants.”
- With inputs from agencies
