MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): As diplomatic tensions escalated after the recent Pahalgam incident in Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Pakistan removed 23 Indian broadcasters employed by a Pakistan Super League broadcast partner.
To cover the 10th edition of the HBL PSL, which started on April 11 and is expected to run until May 18, a broadcast firm hired a technical team that included the Indian employees.
The decision was made in response to the Pahalgam incident, which caused Indian streaming company FanCode to ban HBL PSL live streaming in India and erase all related video content, including highlights. Pakistani officials retaliated by ordering the Indian crew to depart the country right away.
“The 23 staffers were escorted to the Wagah border under VIP security and sent back to India after completing customs and immigration formalities,” according to a security official.
The action is being taken as tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors are rising, and border crossings are still blocked. The Indian squad was given top-tier security by the HBL PSL organizers, who recognized their importance in providing coverage of international sports.
According to sources, Sony Network, an Indian broadcaster that owns the HBL PSL’s satellite rights, might follow suit, which would raise questions about the league’s future visibility in India.
Analysts caution that the expulsion of Indian media representatives is a unique but important change in sports diplomacy and may endanger cross-border cooperation in future cricket competitions, such as the Asia Cup and Champions Trophy.
A renowned sports journalist said, “This tit-for-tat move shows how fragile cricket diplomacy has become between India and Pakistan.”
The National Security Committee (NSC) had earlier on Thursday threatened to consider any move by India to stop the supply of water into Pakistan as an act of war.
Following a high-level NSC meeting that also authorized the closing of the Wagah border crossing, the statement was released. Following a fatal attack in the Pahalgam region of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), India took some actions that prompted the announcement of the measures.
