Pakistan paying price of 'absolutely not', says Fawad on England, NZ pull-out

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is paying the price for its stance of “absolutely not”, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said after England and New Zealand cricket boards announced cancellation of series against Pakistan.

The information minister was apparently referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s comments in June when he clearly said that Pakistan would “absolutely not” allow the United States (US) to use its bases for cross-border military actions after American forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan

Addressing a post-cabinet meeting press conference here in Islamabad, the federal minister said that PTV has incurred hefty losses after English and New Zealand cricket teams abandoned their Pakistan tours.

International lobby is working towards sinister propaganda against Pakistan but they will never succeed, the information minister said.

Fawad Chaudhry said that Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed would hold a detailed briefing on the entire episode soon.

The England Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday announced to cancel its scheduled tour of Pakistan for two T20Is in mid-October days after New Zealand had pulled its team out at the last minute due to “security” concerns.

England’s men and women were due to play T20I double-headers in Rawalpindi on October 13 and 14.

Briefing media on other decisions taken in a cabinet meeting, Fawad Chaudhry said the federal cabinet has approved 44 per cent increase in the house rent ceiling of government employees.

The information minister said the cabinet also approved the inclusion of Uzbekistan to business visa list under which the Pakistani embassy in Tashkent can issue multiple visas for five years to the business community.

He said the cabinet has approved the import and exhibition of regional countries movies to revive the cinema and film industry in Pakistan. The minister informed that Canadian Punjabi movies and films from Iran and Turkey will be exhibited in Pakistani cinemas.

“Government has decided to provide incentives to cinema houses and a massive relief is being given to the film industry on taxes,” he added.

On the polio campaign, the minister said that Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts have yielded positive results as only one case was reported in the last 7 months, terming it a great success against polio.

He also announced that the next general elections in the country would be held under the fresh census.