On Monday evening, PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan revealed that Pakistan has lost $200 mn because of BCCI’s refusal to play a bilateral series with the neighbouring country. As unfortunate as it might be for Pakistan, it was a much a needed move to hit Pakistan’s economy. Pakistan is heavily dependent on Indian cricket and entertainment industry for revenue generation and as India plans to isolate it, for its role in fomenting terror across the international border, sports and entertainment curbs were the need of the hour.
Not just cricket, snapping entertainment linkages too are powerful tools to ensure compliance – if not in the short term, it is definitely a potent long-term tool. According to the Newsweek Pakistan, distributors suffered a loss of Rs 10 million every day after a ban was imposed on the Indian films. The impact was so high that construction plans of many multiplexes was put on hold forcing them to lift the ban. Both Kaabil and Raees were released in Pakistan with the former being removed later due to its ‘objectionable’ content.
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When you look at how things have transpired over last few years, these decisions by India make sense. While most Pakistani actors active in India earlier, condemned various terrorist attacks happening across the world, they remained silent about Uri killings. In fact at an event, Fawad Khan said, “I am a politically illiterate person and I don’t keep up with current affairs. So for me to get involved in these matters doesn’t seem right.”
India did sign a MoU for playing bilateral cricket series with Pakistan between 2015 and 2023 but pulled out after the continuous tension on the border. It informed the BCCI representative at the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting recently that PCB had incurred losses of around $200 million because of India’s refusal to play us and these losses were mounting as the BCCI was not even honouring a legal agreement to play bilateral series between 2015 and 2023,” said Shaharyar Khan.
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While India has emerged as a sporting hub thanks to a number of leagues like Indian Premier League (cricket), Indian Super League (ISL) and Hockey India League (HIL) etc, a ban on Pakistan players in these tournaments is another major blow for the nation. Yesterday, a government official also ruled out the possibility of organising peace talks with Pakistan, so unless it takes some stringent measures, Pakistan’s economy will continue to suffer.
So, even as this sporting ‘boycott’ bites Pakistan, which is one of the lesser developed countries in the world, the related one of comprehensive movement of goods for trade across the border is hurting the population here in an even bigger way. The overall impact is quite punishing for Pakistan.