ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Zaka Ashraf and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah discussed enhancing cricket relations between their two countries on Wednesday, with the latter extending a “warm welcome” to the former, the PCB said in a statement.
The development takes place a day before Ashraf is scheduled to travel to India on Thursday at the BCCI’s invitation, ahead of Pakistan’s World Cup match against Rohit Sharma’s side in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
Ashraf said he was traveling to India to “motivate” the Pakistan cricket team, urging Babar Azam’s side to play “fearless cricket” against their arch-rivals on Oct. 14.
Shah and Ashraf spoke over the phone today, Wednesday, where the former expressed his delight to have the latter in India for the big-ticket clash, the PCB said.
“We both discussed how the forthcoming match is an opportunity to explore ways in which we can further enhance and promote the cricketing relations between our countries,” the PCB quoted Ashraf as saying.
Shah offered to facilitate Ashraf by arranging his meetings with other high-ranking officials during his visit to India, the PCB said, adding that the BCCI secretary extended a “warm welcome” to him.
Ashraf said he found it essential to show the Pakistan cricket team his “unwavering support” during the World Cup.
“The players have put in immense hard work and dedication to reach this point, and I am confident that they will give their best to make us proud,” he said.
Cricket has been a victim of a soured political relationship between the neighbors and bitter rivals, who play each other only in multi-team events like the World Cup.
In recent weeks, the PCB has repeatedly expressed its disappointment over a delay in visa clearance for Pakistani fans and media. On Wednesday, the PCB said Ashraf’s decision to travel to India came after it was confirmed that Pakistani journalists had been asked by Indian authorities to submit their passports for visas to cover the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023.
Around 60 Pakistani journalists are expected to make the trip for the World Cup.
Pakistan had plenty of local support for their World Cup fixtures against Netherlands on Friday and Sri Lanka on Tuesday but no member of their media contingent or fans were present.
Pakistan and India are both in good form before the World Cup, with the two sides winning their first two fixtures of the tournament. India beat Australia and Afghanistan while Pakistan vanquished the Netherlands and Sri Lanka during their World Cup encounters.
PCB chief, BCCI secretary discuss enhancing Indo-Pak cricket ties
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PCB chief, BCCI secretary discuss enhancing Indo-Pak cricket ties
- PCB chief Zaka Ashraf speaks to BCCI honorary secretary Jay Shah over the phone
- Ashraf will travel to India on Thursday ahead of Pakistan’s World Cup clash against India
Pakistan to launch last 2025 anti-polio nationwide drive targeting 45 million children next week
- Over 400,000 frontline health workers will participate in Dec. 15-21 nationwide polio vaccination campaign, say authorities
- Pakistan is one of only two countries in the world, the other being Afghanistan, where wild poliovirus remains endemic
KARACHI: Pakistan will kick off the last nationwide anti-polio vaccination campaign of 2025 targeting 45 million children next week, the National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) said on Monday, urging parents to coordinate with health workers during the drive.
The campaign takes place days after Pakistan launched a nationwide vaccination drive from Nov. 17-29 against measles, rubella and polio. Pakistan said it had targeted 22.9 million children across 89 high-risk districts in the country with oral polio vaccination drops during the drive.
Over 400,000 health workers will perform their duties during the upcoming Dec. 15-21 nationwide polio vaccination campaign, the NEOC said in a statement.
“Parents are urged to cooperate with polio workers and ensure their children are vaccinated,” the NEOC said. “Complete the routine immunization schedule for all children up to 15 months of age on time.”
Health authorities aim to vaccinate 23 million children in Punjab, 10.6 million in Sindh, over 7.2 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, over 2.6 million in Balochistan, more than 460,000 in Islamabad, over 228,000 in Gilgit-Baltistan and more than 760,000 children in Pakistan-administered Kashmir during the seven-day campaign, it added.
Pakistan is one of only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus remains endemic.
Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effective protection is through repeated doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine for every child under five during each campaign, alongside timely completion of all routine immunizations.
Islamabad’s efforts to eliminate poliovirus have been hampered by parental refusals, widespread misinformation and repeated attacks on anti-polio workers by militant groups. In remote and volatile areas, vaccination teams often operate under police protection, though security personnel themselves have also been targeted and killed in attacks.
