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Khaleej Times
a day ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
Shahid Afridi breaks silence over Dubai event row, calls outrage 'uncalled for'
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has spoken out for the first time since a recent event in Dubai triggered backlash in India. He said he was surprised by the outrage and reiterated his long-held belief that sports should rise above politics. In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, the flamboyant all-rounder, nicknamed Boom Boom for his explosive batting, dismissed the criticism as 'uncalled for' 'Let's not politicise things,' Afridi said. 'It wasn't even a planned appearance.' The controversy erupted after Afridi and his former teammate Umar Gul were seen receiving a warm welcome by Keralites at an inter-collegiate dance event held at the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) building on May 25. The event, reportedly hosted by the alumni association of India's Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUBAA), coincided with Afridi's visit to PAD to celebrate a Guinness World Record for the most contributions to a handprint painting. Afridi, who also runs a fitness centre at the PAD facility, said some Indians spotted him and Umar Gul at the venue and invited them in. 'They were just excited to see us. We were happy to meet them and share a few light moments. That's all it was,' he said. Footage from the event showing Afridi being cheered by a largely Indian crowd quickly spread on social media, fueling criticism from certain groups in India amid ongoing tensions between the two nations. Afridi, however, urged calm. 'This kind of reaction is uncalled for. I've always supported sports diplomacy,' he said. 'Cricket has the power to bring people and countries closer. That's something I've believed in throughout my career.' He recalled with fondness his cricket tours to India, calling them some of the most memorable experiences of his life. 'To be honest, the respect I received in India as a cricketer and as a captain of Pakistan was overwhelming. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the love I got there, I didn't get anywhere else, not even in Pakistan,' Afridi said. Afridi stressed the importance of dialogue and people-to-people connections in resolving issues between India and Pakistan. 'If our politicians won't talk and we don't play each other, how will we ever solve anything?' he asked. Afridi said he often interacts with members of the Asian community and enjoys those conversations. 'I meet so many Indians wherever I go. We chat, we joke, we share cricket memories. There's mutual respect. It's always a pleasure.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Viral video: Shahid Afridi's 'Boom Boom' welcome at Kerala alumni event triggers row; Organisers say "visit was unplanned"
A major controversy has broken out after Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul appeared at a dance event in Dubai, organised by a group claiming to be alumni of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat). The event was held on 25 May and has triggered strong criticism from several quarters in India. Video goes viral, sparks outrage The event was organised by the Cochin University BTech Alumni Association (CUBAA), UAE. A video of Afridi being welcomed at the venue went viral, with people in the crowd cheering him and shouting his nickname "Boom Boom." The event was hosted at the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD), which has also added to the controversy. — AtulRaj91844463 (@AtulRaj91844463) by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ingin Tahu Tentang Diagnosis Limfoma? Dapatkan Info Selengkapnya Limfoma Baca Undo Following backlash, CUBAA UAE issued an apology, saying Afridi's appearance was not planned and they never intended to invite him. They said they booked PAD as a venue long before any tensions between India and Pakistan escalated and could not change the location at the last minute. Cusat denies any connection Cusat was quick to distance itself from the event. In a statement, the university said it had no links to CUBAA UAE. It clarified that its only official alumni body is the Cusat Alumni Network (CAN), and that it was not aware of any such programme happening in Dubai. The university said it had no affiliation, partnership, or communication with CUBAA UAE and had not authorised or supported the event in any way. Live Events Political groups demand action Several organisations linked to the Sangh Parivar, including the ABVP, strongly condemned the event. BJP leader K Surendran accused the organisers of insulting the memory of Indians who died in the Pahalgam terror attack. He said on Facebook, 'If not traitors, what else can you call the Malayali organisation that brought Pakistani cricketers for a celebration in Dubai?' ABVP leaders have gone a step further, demanding that the passports of CUBAA UAE office-bearers be cancelled. They have written to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of External Affairs, calling for a probe into the incident. Organisers say cricketers just showed up In a detailed statement, the organisers said they had no role in bringing Afridi or Gul to the event. They claimed the cricketers had arrived at the PAD building for a different event and made an unexpected appearance at the alumni gathering, which was just wrapping up. They stressed that neither Afridi nor Gul was listed on their official programme. 'We regret any confusion or inconvenience caused. The cricketers' arrival was completely unplanned and we were not able to manage the crowd due to the surprise,' the statement said. A sincere apology CUBAA ended its note by expressing deep regret. 'We apologise to anyone who was hurt or offended by what happened. It was never our intention to upset anyone or bring disrespect to our country,' they said. The incident continues to stir debate, especially with calls for investigations into how the event was organised and what links, if any, exist between the organisers and official alumni networks. Inputs from TOI
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Kerala alumni association apologises for hosting Afridi in Dubai following social media backlash
In the video, the crowd is seen cheering Afridi and chanting his nickname 'boom boom'. The warm hospitality being extended to Afridi didn't go down well with a large section of social media users who then stormed the accounts of CUBAA office-bearers and attacked them for 'shamelessly' hosting the cricketer who had used every opportunity to demean India. When a social media user described the act as "shameful", another netizen said "they are fetting someone who has been trash-talking our country." As the incident triggered a widespread row, the CUBAA office-bearers, on Friday came out with an Instagram post expressing apology over the incident and said it was not intentional. Without naming Afridi, they said they had booked Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) as a venue of the second season of an inter-collegiate dance competition much before the tension between India and Pakistan. The same venue was used for the first season of the event last year also due to its affordability, the statement said.
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
ABVP demands action against Cochin University B Tech Alumni Association for hosting Pak cricketers in Dubai
Kochi (Kerala) [India], May 31 (ANI): The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has demanded strong action against the Cochin University B Tech Alumni Association (CUBAA) members for hosting Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul at a public event in Dubai last week. In an email memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ABVP Kerala State Secretary EU Eswaraprasad on Thursday called for immediate intervention, alleging that the event extended honour and hospitality to individuals known for anti-India rhetoric. In a letter to PM Modi, ABVP said, 'This is to bring to your attention an event that took place in the UAE, which is of anti-national interest. On 2025 May 25, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala alumni group named Cochin University BTech Alumni Association- CUBAA, mainly operating in UAE, has given a Kerala model reception to Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Omar Gul in a program being organised on the stage provided by the Pakistan embassy.' 'Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul, who are notorious for their frequent anti-Indian remarks, were given a warm reception. The Pahalgam attack against Innocent Indian civilians by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists and the counter terrorism attack, Operation Sindoor, have made the country stay united against terrorism and the people who support it. It was not just a coincidence, but a well-planned propaganda. Pakistani media gave maximum publicity that the 'Indian community gives warm welcome to Shahid Afridi in Dubai.' 'They are trying to portray that the Government of India and the Indian community have different stands towards Pakistan. In this context, we request you to investigate the propaganda behind this act and to take stringent action on this matter. We request you to suspend the passports of all who are behind this act, who organised this event which was against our national interest,' the letter read. In a diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor, the PM Modi government has formed seven multi-party delegations to inform nations about Pakistan's links to terrorism and India's strong message of zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Seven all-party delegations are taking part in various outreach programmes in the countries they are assigned to. The delegations aim to brief international partners on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its broader fight against cross-border terrorism while engaging with leaders in France, the UK, Germany, the EU, Italy, and Denmark. The seven delegations are visiting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Algeria, the UK, France, Germany, the EU, Italy, Denmark, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the UAE, Liberia, Congo, Sierra Leone, the US, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Latvia, Russia, Egypt, Qatar, Ethiopia, and South Africa. Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack by Pak-sponsored terrorists in which 26 people were killed. Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Row over Afridi's appearance at Dubai Cusat alumni event, univ denies links
Kochi: The participation of Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul in an inter-collegiate dance event organised by an alumni association of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) in Dubai on May 25 has sparked outrage. The association — Cochin University BTech Alumni Association (CUBAA), UAE — issued an apology, saying the incident was not intentional, after a video of Afridi being welcomed at the event went viral. The event was held at the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD). Cusat, however, said it had no affiliation, association or connection with the organisation, CUBAA UAE. It said in a statement that its official alumni organisation was the Cusat Alumni Network (CAN) and it was not aware of the programme organised in Dubai. In the video, the crowd can be seen cheering Afridi and chanting his nickname "Boom Boom" as he addressed the gathering. Several outfits affiliated with the Sangh Parivar criticised the organisers for inviting Afridi to the event. Afridi had made several anti-India remarks, particularly in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack . Former BJP state president K Surendran accused the organisers of disrespecting Indians who lost their lives in the Pahalgam terror attack. "If not traitors, what else can you call the Malayali organisation that brought Pakistani cricketers for a celebration in Dubai," he said in a Facebook post. ABVP has called for the cancellation of the passports of CUBAA UAE office-bearers and submitted complaints to the Prime Minister and the ministry of external affairs. ABVP Kerala state secretary EU Eswaraprasad said Afridi had expressed support for terrorist groups hostile to India. "The alumni association's approach is suspicious and the event, held in the presence of anti-India forces, undermined the martyrdom of Pahalgam victims and humiliated India globally," he said. The event organisers, meanwhile, released a detailed statement, saying the appearance of the Pakistani cricketers was entirely unplanned. Without naming Afridi, they said PAD was booked for the second season of their inter-collegiate dance competition well before the escalation of India-Pakistan tensions. The first season was also organised at the venue last year, due to its affordability, they said in a statement. "At the time of our event, diplomatic tensions had already eased. Due to the unavailability of an alternative venue at short notice, we proceeded with the programme as scheduled at PAD," it added. CUBAA representatives also claimed that the cricketers had come to the auditorium for another event on the day. "As our programme was concluding, the cricketers made an unannounced and unsolicited appearance... We would like to categorically state that no member of our organising team, officials or alumni invited them or coordinated this appearance. The official schedule of the event we published, which does not include these individuals as guests, supports this," they said. The organisers further said they could not manage the crowd appropriately as the cricketers' visit was a surprise. "We regret any confusion or inconvenience caused to attendees, participants or supporters due to this unplanned development. We deeply regret any hurt or offence our actions may have caused. It was never our intention, and we sincerely apologise to those affected," they added.
