Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The incident has drawn reactions from cricketers on both sides. Former Indian cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh have expressed their condolences. Now, Basit Ali, a former Pakistani cricketer, has also spoken out.
Strong Condemnation
Basit Ali described the victims as “martyrs” and called the attack “a great injustice.” He emphasized that such acts are completely unacceptable.
Basit Ali stressed that no one has the right to take another person’s life. He said that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack are not deserving of forgiveness.
A Message of Peace
“I don’t have the right to take anyone’s life. My religion teaches me this,” Basit Ali said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re Christian, Jewish, or of any other faith. Anyone who takes another person’s life is not a Muslim.” He went further, stating, “If my own brother did this, I would shoot him.”
Basit Ali praised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for its response to the attack. During the Mumbai Indians vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad match, all officials, commentators, and players wore black armbands as a mark of respect.
A Call for Accountability
Basit Ali expressed his outrage, saying, “I confidently say that those who committed this act should not be forgiven. If I had done it, I should be hanged.” He emphasized that his religion does not condone killing. The Pakistani cricketer even suggested that the families of the perpetrators should face similar consequences.
The Pahalgam attack resulted in the loss of 26 lives. Before Basit Ali, another former Pakistani cricketer, Mohammad Hafeez, had also expressed his condolences on social media.