Shahid Afridi denies endorsing ‘pro-Israel’ event in UK – M Haris

Pakistani superstar cricketer Shahid Khan Afridi faced controversy after a pro-Israel account on Instagram claimed he supported a “Friends of Israel” event in the UK on Wednesday.

Hours after the Instagram account posted Afridi’s photo as an “endorsement” of the event in Manchester, Afridi responded on his X handle.

“Imagine strolling down a street in Manchester (UK) and so-called fans approach you for a selfie. You oblige, and moments later, they upload it as some form of Zionist endorsement…,” Afridi wrote.

“Unbelievable! Please don’t believe everything that is uploaded.”

He added that the photo does not signify his support for any situation where “human lives are at stake.”

“Seeing innocent lives in Palestine suffer is truly heartbreaking. Any photo or association shared in Manchester does not reflect my support for any situation where human lives are at stake,” he wrote.

“I take pictures with fans from all over the globe, and this situation was no different,” he said.

The “NW Friends of Israel” account on Instagram shared Afridi’s picture with two of its officials, saying: “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 Raohi Bloom and deputy Chair Bernie Yaffe… Thank you for your support, Show more,” the account added.

Fatima Bhutto, granddaughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, also expressed her astonishment, saying: “Waiting for a comment from @SAfridiOfficial on what he was doing at a Friends of Israel event.”