Shahid Afridi: Pakistan cannot manage its own four provinces, doesn’t need Kashmir

During a press meet in London, Shahid Afridi said that Kashmir should be given the status of an independent country and neither Pakistan nor India should claim it.

Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistan captain, has once again triggered a controversy over Kashmir. This time, in a video tweeted by an ARY journalist, Afridi appeared to suggest that Pakistan should allow Kashmir to be independent country because Pakistan hadn’t been able to even manage its four provinces.

File image of former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi. (IDI via Getty Images)

“I say Pakistan doesn’t want Kashmir. Don’t give it to India either. Let Kashmir be independent. At least humanity will be alive. Let people not die. Pakistan doesn’t want Kashmir. It can’t even manage its four provinces. The big thing is insaaniyat (humanity). People who are dying there, it is painful. Any death, be it from any community, is painful,” Afridi said in the video uploaded on social media.

Afridi has been very vocal about his views regarding Kashmir and earlier this year, he had courted controversy by writing on social media: “Appalling and worrisome situation ongoing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Innocents being shot down by oppressive regime to clamp voice of self-determination & independence. Wonder where is the @UN & other int bodies & why aren’t they making efforts to stop this bloodshed?”

Following his comments, a number of Indian cricketer including cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, current Indian captain Virat Kohli, former World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev, Delhi Daredevils skipper Gautam Gambhir and India opener Shikhar Dhawan had come out in public and expressed their strong disapproval of Pakistan cricketer’s remarks.

Afridi, though, stood by his comments and said: “I’m not worried about the response to my tweet from some. I believe I spoke the truth and I have the right to speak the truth.”