LAHORE , June 19, 2023: Pakistan team on Monday was likely to get visas to visit India to take part in South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Cup.
The SAFF Cup is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru from June 21 to July 4.
According to All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) Secretary General Shaji Parbharkaram, issue of Pakistan team’s India’s visas could be resolved by Monday (today).
AIFF is doing its best to manage visas for the Pakistan team, which will be going to India after nine years.
Sources said Pakistan team officials were set to go to India’s High Commission in Mauritius to pick up their passports on Sunday. Still, they were told by the PFF Normalisation Committee to wait as AIFF was trying to manage visas for the Pakistan team.
Pakistan team was scheduled to fly for India on Sunday at 11:30am, but it could not do so as visas were not yet issued.
The team management had told the Mauritius football authorities that they would be able to get India’s visas on Monday (today), and they have cooperated in accommodation.
Pakistan team is currently in the same hotel where it was for the four-nation football event, which ended on Saturday.
Djibouti emerged as champions of the event after they downed Pakistan 3-1 in their final game on Saturday.
According to team sources, if even on Monday, the team failed to get visas, then definitely further stay in Mauritius might be managed by Pakistan itself, which will be costly.
Sources said if visas are delayed further and if Pakistan moves to India on Tuesday or early Wednesday, then it will be very difficult for the Green Shirts to play their first game against India on June 21.
“If we reach India on June 21 or the night before then the organisers should reschedule our match against India,” a source said.