Sports

World Cup: India issues 5,000 visas for Pakistani spectators

The visas were issued after due security checks were made by the immigration office and various security agencies.

Ppi March 21, 2011

NEW DELHI: India has issued 5,000 visas to Pakistanis to facilitate their visit to India for the World Cup matches, including the final in Mumbai, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Monday.

The visas were issued after due security checks were made by the immigration office and various security agencies.

The process was conducted for every Pakistani national who applied for the travel document to watch the quarter finals, semi finals and the final to be held at different venues in India.

"The 15-day multiple entry visas were issued only to those applicants who presented a proper ticket of the ICC World Cup cricket matches," said an Indian government official.

Ahmedabad will host the second quarter final on March 24 and Chandigarh will host one semi final on March 30.

Mumbai is scheduled to host the final match of the ICC World Cup on April 2. So far, Pakistan has not played any of their World Cup matches in India.

COMMENTS (23)

paka | 13 years ago | Reply @Noor: You got to be kidding me. Life is better in Pakistan?? Are you serious. It is a failed state! Political figures assasinated, Honor killings, land grabs,six or seven Coup de etat since your independence, Terrorism all over your country.Taliban, ISI jihadis, wahabis and all looney bin, mullahs, muftis, and chootia people. What the hell is Pakistan famous for.. nothing.. What is your country's contribution to the world in the last 50 years.. nothing. Only terror! Who wants to drive on your roads, with IEDS and road bombs and the burqa crap. P

Noor | 13 years ago | Reply I'm quiet sure that you have been following the news lately, and i wonder what you have to say about the threats given to the Pakistani team and spectators by the Shiv Sina party: they are planning to attack and poison the Pakistani team. Moreover they said that if the Indian team appears to be losing the match, they will come into the ground and attack the Pakistani team. And that's not all, your parliamentarians are saying that if Pakistan won, then there will be serious consequences for both the Pakistani team and the Muslims living in India. I mean come on, how pathetic is this? It is just a game, and if Indians can't stand losing in front of an another team and they have to create such a pathetic drama out of everything, then why host the world cup and even play in it? It shows how much Indians trust their team, seeing as they will try to discourage and distract the Pakistani team in order to win. Not a very talented team you have, it seems.

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Raj | 13 years ago | Reply Some Tips for Pakistanis visitors to Mohali. Mohali is about 240 KMs from Wagah Border. Direct buses go from Amritsar Main Bus Stand to Chandigarh almost every fifteen minutes. The buses are both ordinary and delux. There is no train service from Amritsar to Chandigarh during the day time. If anyone plans to take the train, Ambala should be the last station. One will have to take Bus or Taxi from Ambala to Mohali. Mohali is part of greater Chandigarh area. Chandigarh and Mohali are planned cities just like Islamabad. People are very educated and secular. They are very opinionated and hospitable. One will not see a single woman with Burqa. If you see young girls with short skirts and pillion riding with their friends, do not assume they are characterless. Places to visit in Chandigarh are 1) Rose Garden 2) Rock Garden 3) Sukhna Lake 4) Panjab University etc. The commercial hub of the city is sector 17. If one visits Chandigarh and does not visit Sector 17 is equivalent to visiting Lahore and not visiting Anarkali. There is no sector thirteenin the city. Liquor stores are open seven days a week. There are beer pubs in almost every sector of the city. Majority of the meat served is non HALAL. Tehal Singh makes the best chicken in the city. Rehri Market of sector 11 serves the best street food in the city. Enjoy both the cricket and culture of Chandigarh.

Rick | 13 years ago | Reply @Noor, Do us Indians a favour. Please stay back in your beautiful and peaceful country. Will be great if you can get your 'brothers' (who're keen to come here) to stay back as well. Cheers Rick

Noor | 13 years ago | Reply @Don, I'd like to remind you that your film makers and song producers ask our singers and actors to come to India and song or act for them. Take Rahet-Fateh Ali Khan, Strings, Jal, Atif Aslam and many more, your song makers invite them to India and ask them to sing for them. As for the cricketers, I'd like to know which one of our cricketers is crazy about going to India. @Rashidh: I just want to tell you that you are not the only one who is against the Talibans, the whole of the Pakistani population is, and so am I. Our people are dying in a war that isn't even ours, you think we will support someone who has killed one of our family member? And I'm quiet surprised to see and find it funny that you should put ISI in the same list as Taliban and Al-Qaida (clarification, the Al-Qaida were originally from Saudi Arabia. they were in Afghanistan. But when the Americans attacked Afghanistan, they fled from there and came into Pakistan illegally). ISI is our intelligence service just like yours is RAW, and they have nothing to do with any terrorism attacks, but of course it is useless explaining this to you because for you guys the best thing to do is blame everything on Pakistan and ISI. So never mind that, you won't get it. Another thing, our soldiers are fighting and dying in the war against the Taliban, which shows that our government isn't supporting those killers. I can't see who can hate them more then us Pakistanis who are suffering at the hands of these Talibans.You guys come second. Just one last thing, did you hear about the statement that Bal Thackeray gave against the Pakistani team? And, had hai, banda kia kahe, that he threatened that poor man whose parrot 'predicted' that Pakistan will win, and so that man, afraid for his life, killed his parrot. Can you imagine that??? How low can you go? Anyways guys, I first posted the comment because I didn't like the sort of comments my Indian friends were posting where on the other hand the Pakistanis are writing stuff like "I'm really looking forward to coming to India". Especially the last comment and the one written my Rajesh Kumar.

rashidh | 13 years ago | Reply @Noor: I don't know weather Pakistan has better roads,better buildings than India but every body knows that Pakistan has Taliban, ISI, Al-Qaida....and so on....we don't want them in our country....we are not against normal Pakistanis but the people(Taliban) your government has been feeding for years has brought so much main all over the world and we don't want it in our country....

sunny prince | 13 years ago | Reply any tickets for semi fianl in mohali….i want it at any cost my e mail id is jccpak@hotmail.com….my mobile number is 03009603499…plz contact me if anybody have tickets for india vs pakistan

Don | 13 years ago | Reply @Noor Thats why your cricketers and actors want to come here at the first opportunity.

akash | 13 years ago | Reply hmm.. bit of a headache for indian authorities though.. security apparatus will be stretched to max..

Noor | 13 years ago | Reply LMAOO!!!! I can't stop laughing after having read the above comments coming from my Indian friends! Come on guys, you need to get out of your fantasy world and face the reality, why on earth would a Pakistani want to stay in India?? For God's sake, get a life. We have an extremely beautiful country, with better services, thank you very much. You Indians need to get out of your obsession over Pakistan, you guys are so obsessed with Pakistan. And another thing, India isn't doing a great favor or anything providing us visas, they are hosting the matches, so they are obliged to. I'd rather watch the matches on the television in Pakistan then coming to India.

Noor | 13 years ago | Reply LMAO!!!! what hilarious comments up there,my goodness! haha...man indians seem to be living in their own world, you guys know NOTHING about Pakistan! we are more advanced and forward looking country than you can imagine. I actually can't stop laughing at the way you indians think! i mean why on earth would a Pakistani want to stay in india when we have better roads, homes and services in our own country.Nothing against you guys but seriously you should start living in the real world and come out of your obsession over Pakistan.

amaana | 13 years ago | Reply bombs are not allowed, dnt carry more than 5 lak

naeem mirza | 13 years ago | Reply thanks a lot but it is very difficalt 2 get the visa for inda indian high comission have 2 open visa counter at lahore karachi and islamabad and tickets sale points.

RAJESH KUMAR | 13 years ago | Reply 5000 visa is too much for Pakistanis. In my opinion, it should only be around 1000 only. Indian authorities will have to make sure that all 5000 left India after the world cup. Last time, when they allowed to come to India, many of them stayed back and indulged in anti-India activities. Many ISI people will also be crossing over, so Indian authorities need to be more vigilant this time.

Umar Riaz | 13 years ago | Reply Thanks alot to the Indian govt.. We look forward to support Pakistan in India.. INSHALLAH PAKISTAN will lift the trophy in MUMBAI

Khan | 13 years ago | Reply I've had the privilege of going to India 4 times. Thrice to Delhi, once to Mumbai. Mumbai still happens to be one of my favorite city I have been to. Crossing the Wagah border once, the other times on plane, was the most magical feeling ever. cheers love from a pakistani. @Blunt!:

Khan | 13 years ago | Reply you can't blame the indian authorities not issuing pakistanis visas. coming into pakistan as a foreigner, obtaining a visa is hard enough..why would it be easy on us to get one, especially india? @Abdul Rauf khan:

Deen Sheikh | 13 years ago | Reply This is quite a relief, I was expecting the Indian Government to deny Visas to Pakistani spectators aiming to watch Pakistan in the Semi Final and Final if they qualify. None the less I am certain, Pakistani's visiting India are likely to experience a bit of a bureaucratic nightmare, as these visas are usually issued on Reporting-Basis and random checks of where about by Indian security personnel.

Abaid | 13 years ago | Reply Great! Hopefully Pak India content will be a thrilling one.Cricket lovers will be witnessing a great match.

Abdul Rauf khan | 13 years ago | Reply But still not enough visa for Pakistani fan it is open prejudice with us.we need more visa for Pakistani and this mega event come after very long struggles and sacrifices in sub continent and it may be not possible during the next ten to even twenty years. Sri Lanka is much better country issuing visa to our Pakistani for two weeks even on the Air port and Indian and Bangladesh still taking time on security and issuing visa very limited.I wish those Pakistani going there have enjoy there time in India or in Bangladesh.

anil | 13 years ago | Reply how much foreign exchange do we get?? 5000*10,000 approx....modest amount,but not like fott ball world cup

Blunt! | 13 years ago | Reply Great! A chance for the Pakistanis to visit a beautiful country like India! :)

Raj | 13 years ago | Reply Advise to Pakistani Friends: If you have a valid visa and a valid ticket, do not try to cross over to India on foot via Wagah or some other border. You also need to have a valid transportation and accommodation, from Pakistan to the city where you will be watching the match. Do not expect that with valid visa and match ticket, you will be allowed to enter India and then arrange for transportation and accommodation. Last time when Pakistan visited India, a die hard Pakistani cricket fan from Karachi, had a valid visa and ticket for Bangalore Test, he was not allowed to enter India on foot because he did not have any transportation arrangements to reach Bangalore. I wish good time for all the Pakistanis while in India. Make sure, you have already made arrangements for accommodations and transportations besides VISA and Match Tickets. Cheers!!

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