In a recent weekly media briefing, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokesperson forthe Foreign Office, highlighted India’s role as the host of the World Cupand stressed that ensuring security for the event is the responsibility ofthe Indian state.
Moreover, she emphasized that India has an obligation to create a conduciveenvironment for the Pakistani cricket team during the tournament.
Regarding the recent controversy involving Zainab Abbas, a well-knownsports presenter, the spokesperson expressed her view that the case againstZainab Abbas, related to an allegedly unnecessary tweet, was not a validaction.
She commented on the public outrage when Zainab Abbas left India due tosafety concerns, particularly in light of her old anti-India tweets,stating that Zainab Abbas was unfairly being implicated in an unjustifiedcase.
The Foreign Office spokesperson also mentioned that they are in contactwith Indian authorities to facilitate the issuance of visas for Pakistanijournalists and fans, urging India to expedite the visa process.
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Zainab Abbas, a prominent sports presenter, recently left India citingsafety concerns, which arose from accusations of making derogatory remarkson social media against India and the Hindu religion. Although she was inIndia to cover the ICC World Cup, her stay took an unexpected turn due to acomplaint filed by an Indian lawyer. Zainab Abbas vehemently denied theseallegations, asserting that she had been unfairly targeted.
The controversy surrounding Zainab Abbas has also involved theInternational Cricket Council (ICC), with some sources suggesting that theICC was unable to prevent her deportation, partly due to what they perceiveas “Indian propaganda.” This development has added complexity to thesituation.