Shahid Afridi Responds to Viral Photo with Pro-Israel Group Leaders, Denies Support for Zionist Movement
A viral photo featuring Shahid Afridi alongside leaders of a pro-Israel group has sparked controversy. The former captain of Pakistan’s national cricket team has denied claims of supporting the Zionist movement.
The image, posted by Friends of Israel (FOI), shows Afridi standing with two protesters in Manchester. One protester is holding a pamphlet about Israeli children allegedly kidnapped by Hamas, with the words “Bring Them Home” clearly visible. The caption alleged, “Afridi supported our call for the release of hostages.”
In response to the viral photo, Afridi appealed to his fans not to believe everything uploaded online. He clarified his stance on the microblogging site X (formerly Twitter), stating, “While strolling in the street in Manchester (UK), a fan requested a selfie, and shortly after, linked the photo to support for the Zionist movement.”
Afridi added, “Seeing innocent people in distress in Palestine is heart-wrenching. Any photo posted in Manchester does not reflect my support for situations where human lives are at risk.”
Afridi emphasized that he takes pictures with fans worldwide; what happened in Manchester was similar. He also prayed for an end to war, peace, and freedom globally.
Fatima Bhutto Seeks Clarification from Afridi
Author Fatima Bhutto sought clarification from Afridi on this matter. After Afridi’s explanatory tweet, she wrote, “Afridi responded that he did not know who they were. FOI wanted to show that more than five people attended their event.”
However, FOI reacted to Afridi’s statement, alleging that Afridi took a photo with the “hostage pamphlets” using his camera and agreed to a selfie with the group’s pamphlet. FOI tweeted at Afridi, “You willingly spoke with us and took a selfie with the ‘hostage pamphlet’ to support our cause.”
Afridi quickly replied, stating he took a selfie with a fan and did not endorse FOI’s tweet. He further added, “As a Muslim, I pray for peace worldwide,” and demanded the group delete the tweet.
FOI responded, asking, “Did Afridi not want the hostages released?” They claimed Afridi requested a photo with their placards and agreed to a selfie, clearly showing the demand for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
The former Pakistan cricket captain and chief selector did not respond further to FOI’s tweet.
It is noteworthy that since the extraordinary Hamas raid on October 7 last year, the Israeli military has killed over 37,000 innocent Palestinians in Gaza, including a significant number of women and children. Last month, Israel rescued four hostages during an attack in Rafah, Gaza’s safest area, but also killed over 200 Palestinians in the process.
