‘Sports should be kept away from politics’; PM Kakar concerned over visa issue

In the midst of a visa delay affecting Pakistani cricket fans and journalists attempting to attend the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup in India, Interim Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar emphasized the importance of keeping sports separate from politics.

In a recent interview on the YouTube channel “Talk Shock”, the Premier talked to journalists Azaz Syed and Umer Cheema, staying that, “Sports should be kept away from politics.”

"If the World Cup was held in Pakistan, we would have issued visas to India"; said PM Anwar ul Haq Kakar@ICC @BCC @TheRealPCB #CricketWorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/XahLGZxzvv

— Wasim Sarwar (@MuhammadWa97681) October 9, 2023

He went on to express a sentiment of cooperation, saying that, “If the World Cup was held in Pakistan, we would’ve issued visas to India.”

Prime Minister Kakar also extended his best wishes to the Pakistan cricket team, hoping that their performance would bring pride to the nation.

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As of now, the Indian government has not granted visas to Pakistani cricket fans and journalists. This marks the first time since the 1975 World Cup that no Pakistani journalist is present in the press gallery at an ICC Cricket World Cup event.