PM announces Rs10m for each player; dozens of people arrested, booked under sedition charges in India for celebrating Pak victory
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced Rs10 million for each player of Pakistan cricket team for their magnificent and historic performance in the Champions Trophy tournament.
This was stated by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb here on Tuesday.The Pakistani team made the nation proud by becoming the cricket champions, she said.
The national cricket team showed an excellent performance while batting, bowling and fielding in the tournament and it fully deserved the appreciation and patronage of the nation and the government, she added. Encouragement of young players would help in promotion of sports in the country, she further added.
Meanwhile, thousands of fans gave Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed a hero’s welcome in Karachi as he arrived home carrying the Champions Trophy early on Tuesday.
Men, women and children packed the Karachi airport as Sarfraz returned from England, where Pakistan thrashed arch-rivals India to be crowned surprise winners.
Sarfraz held up the trophy to loud cheers and chants of “Long live Sarfraz!” as a police band played patriotic songs nearby. He was showered with bouquets and given a traditional skull cap and an ‘ajrak’.
Senior local officials also turned up to greet the captain before he was whisked away under escort by police commandos along with team-mate Rumman Raees.
The celebrations did not end once he reached his residential block in central Karachi, adorned with colourful lights and Pakistan flags, where fans climbed on rooftops and balconies to watch him return.
Sarfraz came out on the balcony with the trophy and showed it off to fans, waving and making the victory sign with two fingers as the crowds outside threw rose petals.
“First of all I would like to thank God, I think this is a big victory for the whole Pakistani public,” he told reporters.
“All the boys worked very hard, after losing that first match, the way the boys made the comeback is remarkable,” said Sarfraz. Pundits have credited the Pakistan Super League.
Then he sang a victory jingle about Pakistan’s breathtaking win and prompted the crowd with chants of “Long live Pakistan” before finally retiring back inside.
And in Lahore, scores of fans, Punjab Police band, Police Guard of Honour, high volume drum beat, tons of rose petals, top government officials accorded a rousing welcome to the team members at the airport.
Hasan Ali stepped out of the Lahore airport and into a red-carpet ceremony arranged by the Punjab government. The 23-year-old fast bowler was accompanied by Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf and Ahmed Shehzad.
Provincial ministers Rana Mashhood Ahmed, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman and Jahangir Khanzada and others officials were present at the airport.The players later proceeded separately to their hometowns. One of them was Hasan who was warmly greeted by hundreds of his supporters in Gujranwala.
Talking to the media, Hassan said, “I want to play for the team, not for myself. The first priority is to make the team win. I was out of home for about three months and today I will take the meal at home prepared by my mother.”
Same was the case with Faheem on his arrival in Phoolnagar as a large number of people chanted the slogan of Pakistan Zindabad.“The credit for the historic win goes to the team management and all players besides prayers of the people,” said Faheem.
On the other hand, similar scenes were witnessed when Imad Wasim and Shadab landed at the Islamabad airport.Speaking to the media, Imad hailed Sarfraz for his captaincy, saying he supported each and every player in bringing out his best. “His captaincy worked wonders for Pakistan. Sarfraz supported and backed youngsters bring in their best,” he said.
Shadab’s family members, however, faced problems in entering the Rawal Lounge to welcome him. “We are not allowed to enter the Rawal Lounge to receive our brother. He is our brother. No one is listening here,” said his brother Mehtab Khan. They were not even allowed to stand at the red carpet especially laid down to welcome the two cricketers.
Shadab said it had always been his dream to contribute with the bat also. “So far my contribution to team’s success has been with the ball only. I want to contribute with the bat also. I am hopeful one day I would be able to do that. I have not got the opportunity to show my batting so far at international stage.”
On the other hand, a large number of people welcomed Fakhar Zaman at the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar amid slogans of Pakistan Zindabad. Later, he left for his hometown Katlang where people of Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda, Nowshera and others districts accorded a warm welcome to him.
He told the media that the winning of ICC Champions Trophy was a historic moment and a gift to the people.Another team member, Haris Sohail arrived at the Sialkot International Airport where senior administrative officials congratulated him for the historic victory.
Our monitoring Desk adds: Meanwhile, according to a report from Bhopal, dozens of people have been arrested by the police across India on the charges of raising pro-Pakistan slogans and celebrating Pakistan’s Champions Trophy cricket triumph against India.
Fifteen men in Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur district were arrested and booked for criminal conspiracy and sedition on Monday. Burhanpur is the home district of state BJP chief Nandkumar Singh Chauhan.
The accused men, aged between 18 and 40 years, will be produced before court by Shahpur police, said Shahpur police station in-charge Sanjay Pathak.
Also, celebrating Pakistan’s victory over India has landed five men in police custody in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district. The arrested men, Imran, Sanjay Khan, Tanveer, Shoaib and Wasim were celebrating Pakistan’s victory to the beats of dhol and chanting slogans favouring Pakistan.
The police took action on the basis of a complaint filed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)’s local unit with the District SP.
Also, a man has also been charged with sedition for celebrating Pakistan’s win over India. Police in Savanur in Haveri district of Karnataka arrested Shabir Ahmed (35) for raising pro-Pakistan slogans while celebrating India’s defeat and slapped sedition charges against him on Monday night.
Based on a complaint, the Savanur police registered an FIR against Shabir Ahmed under several sections of the Indian Penal Code including Section 124 A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
Shabir Ahmed is currently in judicial custody.In Kashmir, a large number of youth hit the streets to celebrate the win as soon as Pakistan defeated India in London. Beating drums and singing songs, youths burst crackers and raised slogans in favour of Pakistan.Large processions of youths were witnessed in many parts of Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley.
A large number of youth marched towards the residence of Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq around 11pm and requested him to come out to celebrate the win with them.Mirwaiz came out of his Nigeen residence, addressed the youth and congratulated the Pakistan cricket team.
