Indian broadcast crew for PSL stranded

Around 12 Indian broadcasting crew members and a producer assisting in HBL Pakistan Super League have been left stranded in Pakistan as the tensions escalated across the border in the wake of Pahalgam terrorist attacks.

India and Pakistan have cancelled all the valid visas of the citizens travelling to the respective countries and have ordered them to leave in the next 48 hours.

These steps have also cast doubts over the stay of Indian crew members of the PSL.

The main broadcasters of the PSL – the Trans-Asia company – has conveyed the apprehensions of the crew members to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

"The broadcasters have been in touch with the PCB about the status of the crew members which also includes the producer of the broadcast team for HBL PSL, as to whether they can stay in Pakistan or should leave," sources told Telecomasia.net.

"PCB has in turn approached the interior ministry for advice, which is being headed by Mohsin Naqvi who is also the chairman of the cricket board."

The sources said that since the visas for the Indian crew members were issued for a sports activity (PSL), it is likely that they will not be cancelled.

"We have sought advice from the company that hires us," said a crew member not wishing to be named. "Our visas are special so seems there won't be any problem."

Five of the crew members now have residency of UAE so they won't be travelling to India.

The PSL had also previously come into trouble in February 2019 when leading Indian broadcasters -- IMG Reliance, were covering the PSL in the UAE and the Pulwama attacks had happened.

The IMG withdrew from its contract as official production partner for the event. PCB in turn filed for compensation then and that case is still pending.

Most of the cricket matches in Pakistan and the UAE include crew members from India, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Malaysia.

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