 "Moin Khan has joined Shahid Afridi and other notable Pakistanis in denying Islamabad's role in the Pahalgam terror attack. AFP")
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan has issued a “loud and clear message” to India following the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam , accusing New Delhi of targeting its own citizens with a “false flag operation”. Khan thus joins fellow Pakistani cricket legend Shahid Afridi among other notable individuals from the world of sport and entertainment in denying Islamabad’s involvement in the attack that led to the deaths of 26 people, a majority of whom were tourists.
Khan heaps praise on Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir
Khan heaped praise on Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir while adding that his nation was capable of providing a “strong response” to India if a war-like situation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours arose in the near future.
“I want to send a loud and clear message to all those forces spreading false propaganda against Pakistan in India. Pakistan never attacks the unarmed. India has always blamed Pakistan for its false flag operations. When it comes to national integrity, the nation of Pakistan always stands with its army,” the former Pakistan captain said in a video that has gone viral on social media.
“And under the leadership of General Asim Munir, we are all one and are in a position to give a strong response. So it’s a request to you all to not indulge in stupidity because we in Pakistan tend to become united when it comes to matters such as these. So it’s better to avoid things that could lead to the loss of lives,” added Khan, who played 69 Tests and 219 ODIs between 1990 and 2004.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAfridi had made a similar comment recently, describing the Indian Army as “useless” while demanding proof of Pakistan’s involvement in the terror attack despite the nation’s long history of being a safe haven for terror groups.
Afridi’s comments, however, have strongly been criticised by his former teammate Danish Kaneria, who is among few Hindu cricketers to have represented Pakistan, as well as former India opener Shikhar Dhawan.
The Indian government has responded to the Pahalgam attack with a series of measures, from putting the Indus Waters Treaty on hold and suspending visas to all Pakistani nationals to blocking several Pakistani channels on YouTube, including the one belonging to pace legend Shoaib Akhtar.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also been advised to boycott Pakistan completely, the idea of which has been supported by legends of the game such as Sourav Ganguly.