On Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office criticized Indian authorities over the “baseless” case against recognized presenter Zainab Abbas.
Abbas had to leave India for the ICC World Cup 2023 on Monday after an Indian lawyer accused her of making “anti-Hindu” statements on her social media profiles in the past.
As news of her departure from India spread, it was alleged that she had been deported by India.
However, an International Cricket Council (ICC) representative stated that the presenter had departed the country for “personal reasons” and denied allegations of expulsion.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stated that “Zainab is being dragged into a baseless case.” Making a case against her based on tweets is not the way to go.”
An Indian lawyer reportedly sought the police to file a case against Abbas for allegedly making anti-India and anti-Hindu comments.
Abbas was appointed as one of the World Cup presenters earlier this month. When the announcement was made, the presenter was ecstatic about the possibility of visiting India.
Taking to X, then known as Twitter, the presenter stated that she was “humbled” to be a part of the huge event’s star-studded line-up of analysts and broadcasters.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed optimism that Indian visas will soon be granted to Pakistani journalists and fans. A spokesperson from MoFA mentioned ongoing communication with Indian authorities regarding visa issuance and emphasized the need to expedite the process.
On Tuesday, the embassy initiated contact with journalists who were eager to cover the ongoing major event in India, instructing them to promptly submit their passports.
This development came after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) once again expressed disappointment over the delay in issuing Indian visas to Pakistani fans and journalists, despite it being almost a week into the World Cup 2023.
The highly anticipated cricket event commenced on October 5, but Indian authorities had not yet granted visas to Pakistanis looking to attend the World Cup, leaving them in a state of uncertainty.
