Shahid Afridi Says He Left Karachi Due to Deteriorating Infrastructure and Poor Road Conditions

KARACHI: Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has revealed that he decided to leave Karachi because of the city’s deteriorating infrastructure and poor road conditions, describing the decision as an extremely difficult one.

Speaking in an interview with former Pakistan cricketer Fawad Alam, Afridi expressed disappointment over Karachi’s worsening civic conditions despite years of development work and substantial investments. He said the city’s roads and basic infrastructure have failed to improve significantly.

Praising the people of Karachi, Afridi said, “The people of Karachi are wonderful, and this city has given me so much. But whenever I return after several years, I hope to see better roads and improved conditions. Instead, I feel embarrassed by what I see.”

He lamented the prolonged construction work in various parts of the city, particularly in areas such as Korangi and University Road, questioning how long residents would have to endure incomplete development projects.

Afridi said that leaving Karachi was one of the most difficult decisions of his life. “It is never easy to leave the city where you grew up,” he remarked, adding that Islamabad offers better infrastructure and provides convenient motorway access to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Lahore.

The former captain questioned why road conditions remain unsatisfactory despite heavy investments in development and property projects. “A lot of money is being spent on property developments, and construction has been ongoing for years, yet the roads are still not in good condition,” he said.

While criticizing Karachi’s infrastructure issues, Afridi acknowledged that some positive development projects have been undertaken. He specifically praised the Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway, calling it a commendable initiative. However, he added that Karachi is a vast metropolis, and one or two projects alone cannot address the needs of its millions of residents.

Recalling his childhood and early cricketing days, Afridi spoke fondly of Karachi’s rich cricket culture. “We used to play cricket throughout the day in our neighborhood. I started my career as a fast bowler before switching to spin bowling,” he said.

He also highlighted the high standards of club cricket in Karachi, noting that large crowds regularly attended matches and that earning a place in one of the city’s major cricket clubs was considered a significant achievement.

“That environment is what connected me to cricket,” Afridi concluded.