Pakistan Scrabble team denied visas for competition in India

Published November 11, 2024
Pakistan’s Affan Salman had at the 19th World Youth Scrabble Championship 2024 held in Sri Lanka in September. — APP
Pakistan’s Affan Salman had at the 19th World Youth Scrabble Championship 2024 held in Sri Lanka in September. — APP

The Indian High Commission has refused to issue visas to most of Pakistani scrabble players, preventing the defending champions from participating in the Asia Cup Youth Scrabble Championship and Delhi Cup in India.

Pakistan Scrabble Association (PSA) Director Tariq Perez told APP that “Despite submitting applications two months in advance, the Indian High Commission has delayed processing, issuing some visas too late for players to attend.”

He said that half the team were denied visas without explanation. This also included players who had previously participated and won in India in 2022.

Perez added that as the reigning World Youth Champions and defending Asian Youth titleholders, Pakistan’s absence is a significant blow.

He said the team had travelled to Lahore with the expectation of receiving visas but will now return back to Karachi disappointed.

Pakistan Scrabble Association expressed disappointment, citing India’s failure to uphold sporting spirit.

The Indian High Commission’s actions caught the organisers of the tournament off guard, the report added.

The championship organisers, who were cooperative, had obtained the necessary approvals and had assured Pakistani players of visas.

The Pakistan team will now focus on upcoming international competitions, hoping for a more favourable outcome, he added.

Pakistan’s 16-year-old Affan Salman had earlier won the 19th World Youth Scrabble Championship 2024 held in Sri Lanka in September. The Pakistani team won the team trophy as well for being the number one ranked team with four players finishing in the top ten.

Earlier in 2022, Affan’s brother Ali Salman won the same title, making it the only example of two brothers winning the World Youth championship in history.

Opinion

In fight mode

In fight mode

The bouts between political parties and establishment take a toll on country far more than they do on political parties.

Editorial

Meltdown
08 Apr, 2025

Meltdown

A full-blown trade war is upon us as the era of the rules-based, multilateral trading order is nearly over.
Settling differences
Updated 08 Apr, 2025

Settling differences

Unless there is a broad agreement on the path forward, the country will remain trapped in a cycle of recurring instability.
Glacial ingenuity
08 Apr, 2025

Glacial ingenuity

NECESSITY is indeed the mother of invention, as witnessed in Gilgit-Baltistan. In these areas, where climate change...
Going dry
Updated 07 Apr, 2025

Going dry

Authorities should refrain from undertaking any water scheme that infringes on rights of any federating unit to avoid more controversies.
Afghan return
07 Apr, 2025

Afghan return

AS expected, the government of Pakistan is moving ahead with its plan to forcibly repatriate Afghan Citizenship Card...
Hurting women
07 Apr, 2025

Hurting women

MONTH after month, the figures of crimes against women in the country indicate that our society is close to...