Shahid Afridi’s cousin was commander of terror organisation, tried to attack Kashmir in 2003?

In the wake of a tragic attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir that claimed 26 lives, former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi has publicly accused India of attributing the incident to Pakistan without conducting a thorough investigation. This assertion has reignited discussions about Afridi's familial and personal connections to Pakistan's military and intelligence establishments.

Notably, Afridi's cousin, Shaquib Afridi, was identified as a commander of the militant group Harkat-ul-Ansar. In September 2003, Shaquib was killed by Indian security forces in Anantnag, Kashmir. 

The Border Security Force (BSF) confirmed his identity through documents recovered during the operation, and it was reported that Shaquib had been active in the region for approximately two years prior to his death, as per a report in India Today.

Further reports claimed that Afridi has personal connection in Pakistan's defence circles and ISI. His daughter Ansha Afridi married Pakistani fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in February 2023. The wedding ceremony in Karachi was attended by prominent figures, including former director-general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Asim Saleem Bajwa and other Pakistan cricket team members.

Afridi's recent comments come amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. India has accused Pakistan of orchestrating the Kashmir attack while Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has called for an international investigation, asserting that India is exploiting the incident for domestic political purposes without concrete evidence.

Given Afridi's familial ties to militant activities and his associations with Pakistan's military elite, his statements on the Kashmir incident are viewed by some as reflective of broader geopolitical narratives.