Government of India on Monday issued visas to the Pakistan football team for travel to India to participate in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship.
According to a press release issued by the Pakistan Football Federation on Monday, the visas were issued by the Indian High Commission in Mauritius where the team was present for a Four Nations Series.
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It said the team would depart for India’s city Bangalore via an available flight.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 21 (Wednesday) when Pakistan would play their first match against “traditional rivals” India.
The team was originally set to depart for India on Sunday but failed to board the flight due to a delay in the issuance of vias.
Pakistani authorities raised the matter on the government level after which All India Football Federation general secretary Shaji Prabhakaran assured that the visas would be issued on Monday (today).
Pakistan had applied for visas after the interior ministry issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the Pakistan football team, allowing them to travel to Mauritius, for a four-nation tournament, and then to India, for the SAFF Championship that starts on June 21.
“Good luck Pakistan football team,” said Salman Sufi, the head of Prime Minister’s strategic reforms, in a tweet on Thursday. “The NOC to travel to India for SAFF Championship has been issued.”
Remember that, Pakistan had missed the last edition of the SAFF Championship in 2021 due to a FIFA suspension.
