IHC delay visa to Pak journalists, misses Guwahati ODI

Lahore, Nov 6 (UNI) Uncertainty looms large over Pakistani media's coverage of the ongoing ODI series in India after they were forced to miss their nation's opening ODI against the hosts held at Guwahati yesterday because of a delay in the issuance of visas.

Without any official explanation, the Indian High Commission (IHC) in Islamabad has still not issued visas to all the 46 Pakistani sports journalists accredited to cover the high voltage five-match ODI series.

The situation is so worse that they now fear missing the second ODI at Mohali on Thursday as well as none of the accredited journalists, who applied for the visas through the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), have so far received their passports back from the Indian High Commission.

However, if a PCB source is to be believed, the IHC officials have informed them that the visas would be issued today.

''We have been informed that the visas would be issued on Tuesday which is why we believe that the journalists will be able to make it for the Mohali ODI,'' the official was quoted by 'The News' as saying.

The BCCI, however, expects more journalists from across the border for the Test series which starts at Delhi from November 22.

UNI