New Delhi: The Indian embassy on Tuesday started the visa process for Pakistani journalists,  which will allow them to travel to the neighbouring country to cover the World Cup 2023.

The Pakistani journalists had been waiting for their visas as the Indian authorities had not yet granted them permission to travel despite almost a week into the International Cricket Council's (ICC) showpiece event.

However, after the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) show of disappointment due to the uncertainty created by India, the embassy started contacting the journalists willing to cover the showpiece event underway in India, and directed them to submit their passports at the earliest.

On Monday, the PCB issued a statement expressing dismay over the delay in the issuance of Indian visas for Pakistani fans and journalists.

The board said PCB Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf had called upon Pakistan Foreign Secretary Syrus Sajjad Qazi and raised serious concerns and alarm over the delay in fans' and journalists' visas for India to cover the World Cup.

The PCB stated that Ashraf also requested the foreign secretary to take up the issue with India's Home Ministry through the Pakistan High Commission Office in New Delhi.

In line with ICC law, the host country has to issue visas to fans and journalists for covering the events, but India has turned a deaf ear to Pakistan's hue and cry.

The statement said that the board is extremely disappointed to see that journalists from Pakistan and fans are still facing uncertainty about obtaining an Indian visa to cover Pakistan games in the ICC World Cup 2023.

In the meantime, the PCB again reminded the ICC and the BCCI of their respective obligations and terms and conditions stipulated in the Host agreement to guarantee visas for fans and journalists of participating teams.

Published in The Daily National Courier, October, 11 2023

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