Well-known sports presenter Zainab Abbas, who’s been actively involved in fostering cultural connections between Pakistan and India, has been deported from India. This development arises from accusations of her making “anti-Hindu” statements on social media.
Zainab Abbas had traveled to India to cover the ICC World Cup, but her stay took an unexpected turn when an Indian lawyer filed a complaint against her, claiming that she had posted derogatory remarks about India and the Hindu religion on social media platforms.
Zainab Abbas vehemently denies these allegations, firmly asserting that they are unjust and that her past social media activity was taken out of context, with no connection to her work as a sports presenter. The tweet was done nine-year ago, when she was not the sports presenter.
Interestingly, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has also become entangled in the controversy, as reports suggest they were unable to prevent her deportation due to concerns about “Indian propaganda.”
As of now, Zainab Abbas finds herself in Dubai, and there has been no official statement from the ICC regarding the matter. According to media reports, Zainab Abbas took a safe exit from India in order to avoid legal proceedings.
The complaint against her was formally lodged by an Indian lawyer named Vineet Jindal, who pointed to a series of old tweets on Twitter. These tweets were initially posted approximately nine years ago under the username “Zainablovesrk” (now changed to “ZAbbas Official”), and they are alleged to contain content deemed “anti-Hindu” in nature.
This situation holds significance due to Zainab Abbas’s role as the official presenter for the ICC Cricket World Cup, as appointed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
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Pakistani media has already recorded their protest regarding the non-issuance of visas to Pakistani fans and sports journalists who are willing to visit India for ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023.