ISLAMABAD – Former stars of fierce cricket rivals India and Pakistan tradedonline barbs on Tuesday over New Delhi’s explosive decision to striplink restive occupied Kashmir of itsautonomous status.
Indian ex-cricketer Gautam Gambhir took a swipe at former Pakistanall-rounder Shahid Afridi after he urged the United Nations to intervene inthe move to bring the region under the national government’s direct rule.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist party on Mondayrushed through a presidential decree to scrap from the constitution thespecial status held by occupied Kashmir for seven decades.
“Kashmiris must be given their due rights as per #UN resolution. The rightsof Freedom like all of us,” Afridi, who announced his retirement frominternational cricket last year after playing 398 one-day matches, wrote onTwitter.
“Why was @UN created & why is it sleeping? The unprovoked aggression &crimes being committed in Kashmir against #Humanity must be noted. The@POTUS must play his role to mediate.”
Afridi has been vocal about his political views online, often getting intosocial media fights with Gambhir, who is now a member of parliament forModi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
The 37-year-old Gambhir, who quit all forms of cricket in December, wasquick to respond to Afridi’s post.
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“@SAfridiOfficial is spot on guys. There is ‘unprovoked aggression’, there[are] ‘crimes against humanity’,” said Gambhir in a tweetlink.
“He shud be lauded for bringing this up. Only thing is he forgot to mentionthat all this is happening in [Azad Jammu and Kashmir].”
Pakistan had strongly condemned the unprecedented Indian move to revokeKashmir’s special status.
“Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps,”the Foreign Office said in a statement on Monday. -APP/AFP
