Punjab

Pakistani Kohli fan who hoisted Indian flag granted bail

Umer Daraz was arrested on January 26 for hoisting an Indian flag on his rooftop in Punjab

Muhammad Shehzad February 27, 2016

umer daraz virat kohli 039 s fan was arrested on jan 26 for hoisting an indian flag on his rooftop in punjab photo press trust of india

Umer Daraz, Virat Kohli's fan was arrested on Jan 26 for hoisting an Indian flag on his rooftop in Punjab. PHOTO: PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

A Pakistani cricket fan who was arrested for waving the flag of India after his idol Virat Kohli struck a match-winning knock was granted bail on Friday.

An additional district and sessions court accepted the bail plea of Umer Daraz who was arrested on January 26 for hoisting an Indian flag on his rooftop in Punjab.

Police said Daraz, 22, went “against the ideology of Pakistan” when he waved the flag at his house in Okara town in Punjab during the match against Australia in Adelaide.

Kohli's Pakistani fan arrested for hoisting Indian flag on rooftop

Daraz was celebrating Kohli’s amazing knock of 90 not out, which set up India’s 37-run win in the first of three Twenty20 internationals against Australia.

His conviviality and subsequent arrest came as Pakistan’s arch-rival India marked its national Republic Day.

Regional police officer Faisal Rana said Daraz was charged under Pakistan’s penal code with acting against Pakistan’s sovereignty. He could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine.

“Daraz initially told us that he is a true Pakistani but likes Kohli and never knew that was a crime,” Rana told media.

Pakistani Kohli fan facing 10 years in jail for hoisting Indian flag

“His act is against our country’s sovereignty and is against the ideology of Pakistan.” Rana said Daraz’s home was also full of Kohli pictures.

COMMENTS (9)

mope | 8 years ago | Reply The fact that he was arrested for rooting for the opposition was terrible. The fact that he was forced to stay in jail without bail for almost 30 days was criminal. Pakistan judicial system is considered a travesty by most of the World - one of the prime reasons that you can't attract Western capital which demand a level playing field to conduct business.

Salim Khan | 8 years ago | Reply After watching the great performance of VIrat Kohli, n ow I know why this guy was so liked Kohli. He should be freed immediately because he is loving the best player in the world.

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Ashah | 8 years ago | Reply In the US we raise flags of all countries including Mexico , So it is unfortunate that Pakistani authorities are still so backwards that they have to arrest someone for raising a Indian Flag I guess this ignorances seems to be greater in Punjab even with all their education than in any other province since more sanity prevails in smaller provinces !

ahmedK | 8 years ago | Reply He should not have been arrested in the first place. He is a Pakistani citizen in Pakistan and If anywhere in the world he should be free to think or do whatever he wants to, It must be Pakistan. Pakistan is our homeland which should provide us freedom and that freedom includes celebrating the win or fluttering any flag of the world we want to. This will make Pakistan stronger not weaker. The freer we will feel, the more we love it. PS. BTW I am fan of Virat Kohli as well and his performance was graceful and elegant today.. However, the sight of our fast bowlers charging in is a sight to behold .

Last Man Alive | 8 years ago | Reply He is lucky to be in Pakistan. If he was in india and hoisted a Pakistani flag the fascist extremist hindus would have burned him alive there and then like they butcher Muslims over just a suspicion of beef eating. Now I dare this character to go to india and dare raise Pakistani flag there.

S.R.H. Hashmi | 8 years ago | Reply t is nice to learn that good sense has prevailed, though belatedly, but still, it is not as good a sense as it could be. I think instead of just granting Umer Daraz a bail, the additional district sessions court should have ordered his release, taking into account the fact that he has already been in custody for over a month which was more than adequate sentence for the crime committed, assuming that a crime had in fact been committed in the first place. I remember an incident from the early days of Pakistan when people were definitely more tolerant than what they are like now. A Quetta policeman arrested a tourist who was on a world tour on a bike. The charge was that the tourist had a knife, with blade of a size that required a licence. When the tourist was presented before the magistrate, he pleaded that during his tour he passes through all sorts of regions, including those having wild animals, and he needs something for his protection. After hearing him the magistrate imposed on him a nominal fine. At the same time, he welcomed the tourist, took out his wallet and gifted to the tourist an amount equivalent to the fine imposed. The policeman should not have arrested the tourist in the first place. However, since a case had been registered, and presented before him, he proceeded as required by law, while at the same time setting an excellent standard of decency. Come to think of it, during a visit to India, Nawaz Sharif said words to the effect that these were the same type of people living on both sides of the border who practised the same culture, and he wondered as to how these lines (borders) got drawn. However, Nawaz Sharif was not charged with negating the two-nation theory which formed the basis of creation of Pakistan or for harming the sovereignty of Pakistan. Which means that not only we are not clear in our thoughts, we are also not straight in their application, and have elevated our double standards to astronomical heights. Karachi.

Jibran | 8 years ago | Reply 10 years in prison for waving a flag? Just get real.

Tp | 8 years ago | Reply Just sad to read about this young man.

Smiling Buddha | 8 years ago | Reply Atleast he will happy to see his hero playing in asia cup today

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