The postponement of Pakistan’s India visa for the World Cup was not simply a regulatory hiccup but rather an impression of the mind-boggling and laden connection between India and Pakistan. While cricket has frequently been a wellspring of pressure, it has likewise shown its true capacity as a political device. Eventually, the visa issue was settled, and Pakistan partook in the competition. Yet, it fills in as a sign of the requirement for the two countries to address their disparities helpfully and to isolate sports from legislative issues to ultimately benefit the game and the district.
After a wait of 48 hours, the Pakistani squad received their visa
Teams were given access to visa applications at the end of August, but Pakistan’s participation in the Asia Cup caused a delay. Pakistan had asked for permission to submit applications without their passports due to the tournament’s distinctive hybrid style, which required players to fly back and forth to Sri Lanka for league and Super Four matches. They were forced to wait until the entire squad arrived home to provide their passports after their request was rejected. The applications and passports were ultimately turned in on September 19. The lack of an official update in the days that followed worried the PCB more and more. The visa-granting procedure didn’t speed up until Monday after the PCB’s official engagement with the ICC.
An ICC official told Reuters that “this is an obligation of our host and they are working hard on it with our full support.”
“Every effort is being made to get this sorted.”
The visa delay, according to a statement released by the Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday, has put the PCB “under immense pressure.”
Less than 48 hours before they departed for their first visit to India since the T20 World Cup in 2016, the Pakistani team’s visas were approved.
Cricket has been harmed by strained political ties between the bitter rivals and neighbours, who only face each other at multi-team competitions like the World Cup.
However, the Babar Azam-led team was delighted by the kind reception they received in Hyderabad, but they have bemoaned the absence of crowd support because their supporters are still in Pakistan.
An ICC official told Reuters that “this is an obligation of our host and they are working hard on it with our full support.”
“Every effort is being made to get this sorted.”
The Pakistan’s India visa delay, according to a statement released by the Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday, has put the PCB “under immense pressure.”
After players, Pakistani supporters and media experience World Cup visa delays
Following objections from the Pakistani board, the International Cricket Council (ICC), which oversees cricket, announced that the 50-over World Cup organizers are seeking to acquire visas for Pakistani spectators and journalists.
“The World Cup has already begun, and there is still no word on the visas. Although this is not what we anticipated, we are still holding out hope that the Indian government will approve the visas, a PCB source in Karachi told Sportstar.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has received the accreditation cards back from the HCA, which will reissue them once the visas are approved.
“It’s a very delicate issue, and these cards might be misused if they get into the wrong hands. We don’t want to take any chances because there will be a significant influx of reporters from other locations and other nations. A senior HCA official stated, “Neither the BCCI nor the ICC have reached out to us.
Rumours amid that Pakistani journalist Zainab Abbas was deported back to her homeland as she posted a cryptic tweet
After receiving criticism for “derogatory and provocative” social media statements that a local Indian lawyer said were made by the Pakistani presenter against his nation, Zainab Abbas departed India.
The official digital team for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup included 35-year-old Abbas.
The Pakistani presenter’s departure follows a previous scandal in which the cricket team’s permits were delayed until the very last minute. India and Pakistan are at odds with one another and no longer play each other in cricket matches unless they are part of a larger international competition.
Abbas reportedly fled India due to “security concerns” after a complaint was made to the cyber unit of the Delhi police last week, according to Indian media sources.
She was not deported, despite claims to the contrary in other Indian media, according to an ICC representative. Press Trust of India reported that an ICC official said, “Zainab has not been deported; she has left for personal reasons.”
Why does Pakistan face visa delays for the World Cup in India?
Pakistan’s India visa delay can have following reasons
- Cross-border tensions
The ongoing political and diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan were a major factor in the delay in the issue of visas for Pakistan. The complicated history of disputes between these two close neighbours has frequently spilt over into their sporting contests. Given the delicate nature of the relationship between the two countries, the Indian government’s careful attitude to issuing visas during such periods is justified.
- Security Issues
Security issues are of utmost importance in the context of a high-profile event like the Cricket World Cup. Understandably thorough in their screening procedures, the Indian authorities made sure that all participants—players, officials, and spectators—were safe and secure. Stringent
- Obstacles administrative
Even for a non-controversial event like a cricket tournament, the bureaucratic process of applying for a visa may be onerous and time-consuming. It takes time for the paperwork, background checks, and cooperation of several governmental and non-governmental bodies. The complexity of processing visa applications and the amount of them in this situation may have caused a delay.
- A general outcry
Fans and government representatives in Pakistan expressed their anger over the visa delay. They said that these delays threatened not only Pakistan’s team’s participation but also the already precarious cricketing ties between the two countries. The commotion on Pakistan’s end may have increased pressure on the Indian government to speed up the visa application process.
