{"id":86699,"date":"2026-08-04T11:50:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T11:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/?p=86699"},"modified":"2026-08-04T11:50:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T11:50:34","slug":"shahid-afridi-pledges-cricket-pitch-calls-for-cleaner-tourist-destinations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/2026\/08\/04\/shahid-afridi-pledges-cricket-pitch-calls-for-cleaner-tourist-destinations\/","title":{"rendered":"Shahid Afridi pledges cricket pitch, calls for cleaner tourist destinations"},"content":{"rendered":"<h6 style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>&#8220;Former Pakistan captain vows to build cricket pitch before Independence Day, announces initiative to install dustbins at scenic tourist sites.&#8221;<\/em><\/h6>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>JAHAZ BANDA KUMRAT VALLEY<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has appealed to the public to help preserve the country&#8217;s scenic tourist destinations by maintaining cleanliness, while announcing plans to develop a cricket pitch for local children and install waste disposal facilities at key recreational sites.<\/h6>\n<p>In a video message shared on his official social media account X on Tuesday, Afridi recalled his earlier appeal urging visitors to enjoy Pakistan&#8217;s natural beauty responsibly by refraining from littering and protecting the environment.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Shahid Afridi calls for cleaner tourist destinations, pledges cricket pitch\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R4_KCrisCXk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;I had earlier requested people to visit this beautiful place and enjoy its natural beauty, but I also urged them not to spread litter and to take special care of cleanliness,&#8221; he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 15px;\">Afridi, who is currently visiting the area, said local children had requested the construction of a proper cricket pitch. He pledged that, God willing, a standard cricket pitch would be completed before <\/span><span style=\"color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 15px;\">Pakistan&#8217;s Independence Day on August 14<\/span><span style=\"color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 15px;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-86701\" src=\"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c061d301-38f2-483a-8fcc-7b303ba25a8c.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1599\" height=\"899\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c061d301-38f2-483a-8fcc-7b303ba25a8c.jpg 1599w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c061d301-38f2-483a-8fcc-7b303ba25a8c-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c061d301-38f2-483a-8fcc-7b303ba25a8c-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c061d301-38f2-483a-8fcc-7b303ba25a8c-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c061d301-38f2-483a-8fcc-7b303ba25a8c-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c061d301-38f2-483a-8fcc-7b303ba25a8c-747x420.jpg 747w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c061d301-38f2-483a-8fcc-7b303ba25a8c-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c061d301-38f2-483a-8fcc-7b303ba25a8c-696x391.jpg 696w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c061d301-38f2-483a-8fcc-7b303ba25a8c-1068x600.jpg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1599px) 100vw, 1599px\" \/><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;\">&#8220;I promise these children that, Insha&#8217;Allah, a proper cricket pitch will be ready before August 14,&#8221; he said.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Emphasizing the collective responsibility to preserve the country&#8217;s picturesque locations, Afridi stressed that cleanliness should remain a shared public priority.<\/p>\n<p>He also highlighted the need for improved waste management infrastructure, saying it was equally important to provide visitors with adequate facilities for proper disposal of litter.<\/p>\n<p>Afridi announced plans to personally arrange the installation of dustbins at four to five key locations to encourage responsible waste disposal and help maintain the cleanliness of public recreational areas.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-86702\" src=\"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cd5cba10-f0d6-4eef-9c1a-aaf3f3a6c71f.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1599\" height=\"899\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cd5cba10-f0d6-4eef-9c1a-aaf3f3a6c71f.jpg 1599w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cd5cba10-f0d6-4eef-9c1a-aaf3f3a6c71f-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cd5cba10-f0d6-4eef-9c1a-aaf3f3a6c71f-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cd5cba10-f0d6-4eef-9c1a-aaf3f3a6c71f-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cd5cba10-f0d6-4eef-9c1a-aaf3f3a6c71f-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cd5cba10-f0d6-4eef-9c1a-aaf3f3a6c71f-747x420.jpg 747w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cd5cba10-f0d6-4eef-9c1a-aaf3f3a6c71f-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cd5cba10-f0d6-4eef-9c1a-aaf3f3a6c71f-696x391.jpg 696w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/cd5cba10-f0d6-4eef-9c1a-aaf3f3a6c71f-1068x600.jpg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1599px) 100vw, 1599px\" \/><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;We all have a responsibility to keep these beautiful places clean. I also intend to arrange dustbins at four to five important locations so that people can conveniently dispose of their waste,&#8221; he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The former cricket star concluded his message by thanking the public and encouraging continued community participation in protecting Pakistan&#8217;s natural environment while promoting sports opportunities for young people.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-86703\" src=\"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a9806897-3ce2-4373-9e90-2f749f0181b2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1599\" height=\"899\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a9806897-3ce2-4373-9e90-2f749f0181b2.jpg 1599w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a9806897-3ce2-4373-9e90-2f749f0181b2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a9806897-3ce2-4373-9e90-2f749f0181b2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a9806897-3ce2-4373-9e90-2f749f0181b2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a9806897-3ce2-4373-9e90-2f749f0181b2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a9806897-3ce2-4373-9e90-2f749f0181b2-747x420.jpg 747w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a9806897-3ce2-4373-9e90-2f749f0181b2-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a9806897-3ce2-4373-9e90-2f749f0181b2-696x391.jpg 696w, https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a9806897-3ce2-4373-9e90-2f749f0181b2-1068x600.jpg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1599px) 100vw, 1599px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Former Pakistan captain vows to build cricket pitch before Independence Day, announces initiative to install dustbins at scenic tourist sites.&#8221; JAHAZ BANDA KUMRAT VALLEY: Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has appealed to the public to help preserve the country&#8217;s scenic tourist destinations by maintaining cleanliness, while announcing plans to develop a cricket pitch for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":86700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66,83],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-climate","category-climate-change"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86699"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86699\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86704,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86699\/revisions\/86704"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}