In a highly anticipated development, authorities have finally granted visas to Pakistani journalists to cover the India-Pakistan cricket match in Ahmedabad on October 14. It’s noteworthy that the visa approvals did not include any social media influencers or YouTubers.
Several journalists based in Karachi have received confirmation of their visa approvals. Additionally, Zaka Ashraf, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, is preparing to travel to India to witness the much-awaited Pakistan-India match at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
He made this decision after receiving confirmation regarding the issuance of visas for Pakistani journalists who will be covering this significant sporting event in India. Zaka Ashraf expressed, “I have postponed my travel to India, and I am traveling tomorrow after receiving confirmation that Pakistan’s journalists will submit their passports to obtain visas for covering the mega event.”
It’s worth noting that sports journalists in Pakistan had urged Pakistani media to boycott the World Cup. This was in response to reports suggesting that the International Cricket Council (ICC) would facilitate their participation by allowing questions to be asked through WhatsApp instead of expediting the visa issuance process for Pakistani journalists. The ICC had initially allocated a quota of 50 journalists to Pakistan, while the country had 206 applicants.
Last week, an ICC spokesperson informed that India was actively working on the matter with the support of the council. Meanwhile, the PCB has consistently expressed its displeasure over the uncertainty surrounding the issuance of visas.
