Just around 25 cricket fans from Pakistan have applied
for visas for the cricket world cup with the tournament organisers yet to decide
on setting up a satellite visa outlet in Pakistan.
"We had anticipated and informed the organisers that we
are expecting some 500 people to apply for the World Cup visas. But the response
so far has been very slow," a Pakistan cricket board official said
today.
According to him, just 25 applicants had applied directly for
visas for the Caribbean cricket community special visa to the Trinidad and Tobago
consulate in New Delhi which had sent them to the Caricom for approval.
"These visas are apart from those being issued to journalists
and team and board officials," Dr Ehsan Malik, the PCB's media head said.
He said due to the slow response from Pakistani cricket fans,
Caricom had delayed on a request from the Pakistan board to set up a satellite
visa office in Lahore where applicants could apply in person instead of sending
their passports to Delhi which was not allowed under Pakistani immigration laws.
"Caricom has now said it is talking to our government
for clearance to set up the satellite outlet. We are hoping once that happens
the number of applicants will increase for the World Cup visas and tickets will
increase dramatically," Malik said.
Cricket fans in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh
have to apply for the special World Cup visa which allows them to visit all
nine islands directly from the Trinidad and Tobago consulate in Delhi.
Another board official said that talks were on with travel
agents to offer special discounted tour packages for the World Cup once
the visas were available in Lahore.
"Then perhaps the level of interest in the World Cup from
travelling fans will increase," he said.
There is enormous interest in the World Cup in Pakistan but
the official said that travelling to the Caribbean’s was a very expensive
proportion and not anyone can afford it. "Even the World Cup tickets available
on the internet are very expensive as is the boarding and lodging," he
added.
|
