More Pak cricket fans arrive
ATTARI: To encourage and buck up cricket players hailing from their country, a little over 100 Pakistani cricket fans arrived in India via Attari land border to watch the second one day international being played at Mohali
on Thursday.
However strains of domestic tension back home were palpable in their actions as they inquired about the latest development in their country of Indian journalists present at Attari. Besides, they expressed eagerness about making a quick return to their country. Cold reception on this side of the border was a let-down. Pakistani cricket fans were more keen on sharing things about their lives during the Emergency than dicussing cricket.
Nahim Mirza, a Pakistani journalist who had arrived to watch the cricket match, said it was freedom of media in Pakistan which led to the Emergency. “Media had exposed every deed of the military ruler and politicians which irked them and finally, Emergency was imposed,” he said, adding that even the opposition political parties were not making any significant demonstrations and protests against Musharraf’s decision. However, he gave all credit to Indian media for the freedom of press in Pakistan. “When the common Pakistani saw the Indian media airing all kinds of news, it wanted the same system in its country,” he said.
Shareen Zaved, vice-chairman of Pakistan Women Cricket Association, said girls in Pakistan were crazy about cricket and were venturing in large numbers into the game. She was of the view that the Indian government should have issued liberal visas to Pakistani cricket-lovers. About Pakistan losing the first ODI, she said there would now be a sufficient number of fans to encourage them and wish the Pakistan team victory.
Isba Tabussaum, another Pak cricket fan, showed the Pakistani national flag she was carrying with her. She said the last time when she had arrived here, they were given a warm reception at Attari land border. “I don’t think both countries are really making any headway in people-to-people contact,” she said.
