The ongoing ICC ODI World Cup 2023 recently sparked outrage in Pakistan due to difficulties faced by media personnel and fans in obtaining visas for event coverage.
The situation drew national attention and provoked a strong response from prominent figures, with actress and activist Armeena Khan at the forefront.
Pakistani actress, Armeena Khan, renowned for her vocal advocacy, didn’t hold back either and took to social media on Wednesday morning.
She called upon the Pakistani cricket team to show some self-respect, protesting that the green shirts were purely there to be embarrassed and humiliated and must withdraw from the tournament.
When Pakistani cricket fans & media are denied visas & treated disgracefully, why is the team still there? What are you playing for? Show some self respect for yourselves and your people. You are there purely to be embarrassed & humiliated through your treatment. Withdraw please.
— Armeena ✨ (@ArmeenaRK) October 10, 2023
Armeena Khan’s tweet came just two days before a recent announcement on Thursday morning, which declared that visas for PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf and several media personnel have now been approved.
As many as 60 Pakistani journalists will cover the world cup, facing stringent visa checks because pakistan is on the Prior Reference Category (PRC) list.
Their primary assignment will be to cover the highly anticipated cricket match between arch-rivals Pakistan and India, scheduled for October 14th at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
This development comes after two crucial matches, Pakistan vs. Netherlands and Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka, which deprived our media persons and fans from adequate media coverage since the start of the ODI World Cup on October 5th.
Prior to the approval of these visas, the PCB Chief Zaka Ashraf met with the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan to press for expedited measures with the Indian Home Ministry and the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to resolve this longstanding matter.
The discrimination faced by Pakistani journalists and fans raise concerns about the treatment that will be faced throughout the tournament, as no other participating countries in the ICC matches held in India have experienced similar obstacles.
The highly-anticipated Pak vs. India match is on 14th October which will bring the two countries face to face on the ground.
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