In an effort to acquire visas for Pakistani journalists who are excitedly anticipating their trip to India for the forthcoming World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has jumped into action. This situation occurs shortly after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expressed their dissatisfaction with the delay in the issuance of visas to Pakistan supporters and members of the media. With some 60 Pakistani journalists planning to travel to Brazil for the World Cup, the stakes are quite high.
Despite the absence of Pakistan’s media delegation or its devoted supporters, the excitement and fervor around Pakistan’s World Cup opener versus the Netherlands in Hyderabad reached a crescendo. One prominent exception, though, was Karachi-born US citizen Mohammad Bashir, who ardently supported Pakistan from the stands.
“Our host, the BCCI, is required to provide this (the visa), and they are working diligently on it with our full assistance.
An ICC representative assured that “every effort is being made to resolve this” and reaffirmed the sincere efforts being made.
Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, experienced an unexpected shift in perspective when asked about the response in India. Azam is anxiously anticipating even more assistance after being shown tremendous hospitality from the moment his team landed in Hyderabad. He harbors the dream of seeing Pakistani supporters yelling for their team at every game and at every stadium.
Applications for Pakistani visas are thoroughly vetted.
The PCB is expecting that the visas would be issued before the historic match between India and Pakistan slated for October 14 in Ahmedabad because a large number of spectators are anticipated to cross the border. Notably, due to Pakistan’s inclusion on India’s prior reference category (PRC) list, visa applications from bearers of Pakistani passports are subject to thorough scrutiny by a number of Indian ministries, including home, external affairs, and sports.
“PCB is sorry to see that Pakistani journalists and supporters are having trouble getting visas to India to cover Pakistan’s ICC World Cup opener. We are aware of the important contributions that journalists and ardent spectators make to the spirit and ambiance of sporting events, said a PCB official.
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