A Kerala expatriate community in Dubai, which is facing intense online backlash over a warm welcome extended to Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi in a recent programme, has apologised for the incident and clarified that it was not intentional.
Anti-India former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi received a warm welcome from the Indian Kerala community during an event held at the Pakistan Association Dubai. The event was organised by Cochin University’s B.Tech. Alumni Association (CUBAA) at Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD).
Many netizens were outraged by this warm welcome just days after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Now, the event organisers have said that Shahid Afridi came to the PAD centre in Dubai as part of the Guinness World Record for the largest UAE flag with Handprints,on 25th May 2025, and he made an appearance at the Ormachuvadukal Season 2 without any invitation because it was held at the same venue. They attacked the CUBAA office-bearers, citing the Pakistan cricketer’s recent controversial remarks against India and its Army in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack.
In his brief address, the cricketer was seen praising Kerala and its cuisine. The warm hospitality extended to the Pakistan cricketer didn’t go well with a large number of netizens and right-wing supporters. 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 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 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.
