Shahid Afridi faces social media backlash over pro-Israel photo

 JournalismPakistan.com
 June 20, 2024

MANCHESTER—Former Pakistan Test cricketer Shahid Afridi has found himself embroiled in controversy after a photo surfaced showing him with members of a pro-Israel organization in Manchester.

On Wednesday, Afridi's fans were taken aback when the North West Friends of Israel (NWFOI) shared the photo on X (formerly Twitter), which quickly went viral, garnering 1.8 million views.

In the photo, Afridi is seen posing with two members of the group, one of whom is holding a pamphlet requesting the British government's help in securing the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. NWFOI's post on X stated: "Pakistani international cricketer @SAfridiOfficial stopped to offer his support for our call to release the hostages at our NWFOI vigil last Sunday in Manchester. Shahid is pictured with NWFOI co-chair Raphi Bloom and deputy chair Bernie Yaffe. Thank you for your support."

Afridi responded by urging his fans not to believe everything they see on social media. He clarified the situation, stating, "Imagine you are walking in a street in Manchester (UK) and some so-called fans come up to you to take a selfie and you accept. Moments later, they upload it as an endorsement of Zionism."

Expressing his anguish over the suffering of innocent lives in Palestine, Afridi emphasized that the photo should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any political stance. "It is heart-wrenching to see the suffering of innocent lives in Palestine. A photo shared by an organization in Manchester cannot be considered as my endorsement of any kind where human lives are at stake," he explained. Afridi reiterated that he often takes photos with fans from all over the world and that this situation was no different. "I pray for the end of this war, and I pray for freedom," he added.

Conversely, NWFOI claimed that Afridi had taken the pictures himself and was fully aware of the context. "He knew what he was doing," they asserted.