Pakistani Teams Await Visa Clearance for Kho Kho World Cup in New Delhi
Pakistani Teams Await Visa Clearance for Kho Kho World Cup in New Delhi
The Visa saga continues to loom large over the Pakistani men’s and women’s teams as they await their travel approvals to compete at the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup. The tournament will be highlighted by a highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan, with less than a week remaining until its opening.
The Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, located in the centre of New Delhi, will host the Kho Kho World Cup from January 13 to 19. The Pakistani contingent’s travel remains uncertain, and the inaugural match between the women’s teams of India and Pakistan is currently in limbo.Sudhanshu Mittal, the President of the Kho Kho Federation of India (KFFI) and a leader of the BJP stated in an interview with The Indian Express that the Pakistani team is still anticipating their visas. Similarly, Geeta Sudan, the Chief Operating Officer of the Kho Kho World Cup, expressed her disappointment, stating, “We had hoped that everything would proceed as planned when we developed the schedule.” Nevertheless, we cannot determine their eligibility to join us as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not yet approved their application.
For more than a decade, the fraught sporting relationships between India and Pakistan have persisted. India’s decision to withdraw from the Champions Trophy cricket tournament, scheduled in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9, has recently reignited this tension. In 2021, Pakistan was granted the hosting rights; however, Indian authorities declined to travel due to security concerns. Instead of forfeiture, the International Cricket Council (ICC) accommodated India by permitting them to host their matches in Dubai through a hybrid model, including the semifinals and finals (if they qualify).
The latest chapter in the ongoing saga has further solidified the cooling of sporting relations, which had previously exhibited signs of affection. It is worth noting that Pakistani teams have recently visited India. The men’s hockey squad competed in the Asian Champions Trophy in 2023, while the men’s cricket team joined the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup after extensive deliberation. Furthermore, the Pakistani football team participated in the SAFF Championship in Bengaluru during the summer of 2023.
In contrast, Indian teams have also made sporadic visits to Pakistan. The Indian Davis Cup team travelled to Islamabad for their World Group 1 playoff early last year, while their bridge team recently visited Lahore.
Despite the looming uncertainty surrounding Pakistan’s prospective absence, Sudan is optimistic about the tournament. “We are confident that the event will be exceptional, irrespective of the situation with Pakistan, as all other teams are proceeding as scheduled,” she stated.
This pioneering tournament, which will feature 20 men’s and women’s teams from 24 nations, will present stakeholders invested in Kho Kho with a significant opportunity to elevate the sport to new heights and cultivate competitive credibility.
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