With just two days left for the Asia Cup 2025, uncertainty looms over the participation of Pakistani journalists, as several are yet to receive their visas to travel to the UAE for the tournament. Pakistan begins its campaign on September 12 against Oman in Dubai, but the issue has left many reporters stranded.
Pakistani media professionals are calling it déjà vu, recalling the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, where around 60 journalists from Pakistan faced similar delays. None were granted visas in time for Pakistan’s opening match against the Netherlands. The matter was raised with the International Cricket Council (ICC) by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which claimed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had failed to process approvals. Eventually, visas were issued just a day before the marquee India vs Pakistan clash on October 14.
This time, the problem is different. According to reports, the UAE government had informed Islamabad in December 2024 that it would be vetting all Pakistani nationals more closely before granting visas. The decision was linked to concerns over a rising influx of Pakistani citizens, including those entering the country illegally or as beggars. Despite discussions between Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister and PCB Chairman, and UAE authorities in July, no resolution has been reached.
Pakistan holds the Asian Cricket Council presidency under PCB Chairman @MohsinnaqviC42 who is also the Pakistan Interior Minister, yet several Pakistani journalists struggle for UAE visas while Indian passport holders get them within hours. As a result, Pakistani voices in the…
— Umar Farooq Kalson (@kalson) September 7, 2025
As a result, it remains uncertain whether a large contingent of Pakistani journalists will be able to cover their team’s Asia Cup opener in Dubai.
