Politics is once again hindering cricket, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refused to engage in any form of cricket with Pakistan following a terrorist attack in the Indian-occupied region of Pahalgam, Kashmir.
According to Indian media reports, the decision comes under pressure from the Indian government. The BCCI stated that, considering the Pahalgam incident and the current strained diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan, no bilateral cricket matches will be held with Pakistan at any level.
A spokesperson for the Indian board cited security concerns as the primary reason behind the decision and issued a veiled warning that even upcoming India-Pakistan matches in ICC tournaments could be reconsidered.
The terrorist attack took place on Tuesday, April 22, in Pahalgam, located in Indian-occupied Kashmir, claiming the lives of 26 tourists. Without waiting for a formal investigation, India immediately blamed Pakistan for the incident. The BCCI then announced a complete boycott of cricketing ties with Pakistan, reportedly acting on instructions from the government.
This decision has now cast a shadow over major international tournaments such as the Asia Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy, both of which could potentially host high-profile India-Pakistan clashes.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not issued any official response to the BCCI’s unilateral move.
The last bilateral ODI series between India and Pakistan was held in 2012. Since then, the two sides have only faced each other in multi-nation tournaments, such as those organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
As the situation continues to escalate following Tuesday’s Pahalgam attack in held Kashmir, India has ordered Pakistani nationals, including defence/military, naval and air advisers at the High Commission in New Delhi, to leave the country; and withdrawn its own advisers from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
According to reports, New Delhi has also officially suspended the historic Indus Waters Treaty with Islamabad, which governs the use of six rivers in the Indus Basin as one of the world’s most durable international water-sharing frameworks.
As per the details, the announcements came from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi following the deadly attack that claimed the lives of 25 Indian citizens, including one Naval officer, and one Nepali national.
In an official statement issued by India’s External Affairs Ministry, the country’s Cabinet Committee on Security decided:
(i) The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.
(ii) The Integrated Check Post Attari [Wagah] will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1, 2025.
(iii) Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.
(iv) The Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata. They have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own Defence/Navy/Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.
(v) The overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be affected by May 1, 2025.
Meanwhile, sources told The Current that, on this side of the border, PM Shehbaz Sharif has called an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) Thursday to deliberate Pakistan’s response to India’s recent unilateral and aggressive actions following the Pahalgam attack.
The high-level meeting will be chaired by the premier and is expected to focus on formulating a potential counter-strategy in response to New Delhi’s decisions.
Sources confirmed that the meeting will be attended by the ministers for foreign affairs, interior, and defence, along with the national security adviser, heads of the armed forces, top intelligence officials and other officials concerned.
Following Tuesday’s attack on a tourist spot in the Pahalgam area of held Kashmir, several Indian film organisations and social media users have started calling for a boycott of Pakistani actor Fawad Khan’s upcoming Bollywood film ‘Abir Gulaal’.
While Pakistan has officially rejected Indian media’s propaganda hinting at cross-border involvement in the deadly attack that claimed 26 lives, hardliners are using the tragic incident as a reason to demand that not only should Abir Gulaal be banned, but no Pakistani actor should be cast in any future Indian productions.
While Abir Gulaal marks Fawad’s return to Bollywood, social media continues to flood with posts questioning why Pakistani actors were still being featured in Indian films.
Some users recalled a similar situation from 2016, when Fawad’s film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was released shortly before an attack on an Indian Army base in Uri, which left 19 soldiers dead. The incident had triggered a cultural freeze between the two neighbouring countries, banning each other’s artists and content.
Now, nearly a decade later, Fawad’s return-to-Bollywood film, co-starring Indian actress Vaani Kapoor, is set to release on May 9, and promotional events are currently underway in Dubai. However, renewed tensions have once again put a question mark on the film’s fate.
While the film’s production team has shown no intention of delaying the release, it merits a mention that Hindu extremist groups had objected to the film even before the Pahalgam attack, forcing the makers to hold all promotions outside India.
Renowned TV host and actress Nida Yasir has admitted to accidentally announcing an actress’s marriage on live television without confirming the news.
The incident occurred during her special Eid-ul-Fitr show, where she mistakenly included actress Anmol Baloch among the newlyweds of the year.
During the segment, singer Falak Shabbir and actress Sarah Khan congratulated showbiz couples including Mawra Hussain, Ameer Gilani, Kubra Khan, and Gohar Rasheed. Nida Yasir then added Anmol Baloch to the list, sparking widespread speculation about a secret wedding.
Soon after the episode aired, rumours of Anmol Baloch’s marriage began circulating online. The actress quickly stepped forward to clarify that she was not married.
Nida Yasir has now publicly admitted her mistake on her morning show, though she chose not to mention Anmol Baloch by name. She explained that a fellow showbiz personality had told her about the marriage, and without verifying the information, she mentioned it on air.
“The actress called me and said she isn’t married yet,” Nida revealed. “I realised that announcing something like this without confirmation, especially about a girl’s marriage, can be harmful. I made a mistake, and I take full responsibility.”
Nida also said she avoided naming the actress in her apology to prevent the matter from resurfacing in the media.
Pakistani Olympic gold medalist and star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has declined an invitation from Indian counterpart Neeraj Chopra to participate in the upcoming Bengaluru Classic Javelin Throw Championship.
According to reports, the invitation was declined because Arshad’s training schedule and annual competition calendar had already been finalised before the receipt of the invite. As a result, he respectfully opted out of travelling to India for the event.
Chopra had personally invited Arshad in a bid to bring together top-tier javelin talent for the Bengaluru meet. However, Arshad is currently focused on his preparations for the upcoming Asian Athletics Championship, that is scheduled to be held in South Korea at the end of May.
He is set to depart for South Korea on May 22, five days before the tournament begins on May 27.
Former New Zealand head coach Mike Hesson has emerged as a strong contender to replace Aaqib Javed as the interim head coach of the Pakistan cricket team.
According to reports, Hesson is currently serving as the head coach of the Pakistan Super League franchise Islamabad United. He has reportedly been approached by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the role. Sources reveal that the PCB is actively engaged in discussions with him.
This isn’t the first time the PCB has contacted Hesson. Last year, the board had also reached out, but Hesson declined the offer due to prior commitments.
While former Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq was also in the running, sources suggest that Mike Hesson now appears to be the frontrunner for the position.
According to insiders, the PCB is once again leaning towards appointing a foreign head coach. The job requires a Level 3 coaching qualification, and applications have been invited until 4 May.
With limited options available, the PCB is reportedly focusing more on foreign candidates for the role.
Mike Hesson was appointed as New Zealand’s head coach in July 2012, replacing John Wright. He also has prior coaching experience in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has emphasised the importance of physical fitness and dietary discipline for young wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan, urging the 26-year-old to take his professional responsibilities more seriously if he hopes to succeed at the highest level.
Speaking in a recent interview with a local news channel, Younis addressed concerns about Azam Khan’s fitness in a direct yet relevant tone.
“We all enjoy burgers, I do too,” said Younis. “But as professional athletes, we must show restraint. At this level, you cannot compromise on dietary discipline.”
He further advised the young athlete to prioritise his fitness if he intends to prolong his career and perform consistently at the international level. “If Azam wants to extend his career and perform at a high level, he has to prioritise fitness. There are no shortcuts here.”
Despite his concerns over fitness, Younis supported Islamabad United’s decision to promote Azam Khan up the batting order.
“Sending Azam to bat in the top order is a fresh, unconventional approach,” said Younis. “It gives him more time at the crease and allows him to face the fielding restrictions, which could suit his power-hitting ability. It’s a smart way to challenge him and encourage growth,” he said.
Younis also pointed out a key technical flaw in Azam’s batting, particularly against pace bowling.
“Whether it’s the PSL or overseas leagues, fast bowlers immediately test him with short-pitched deliveries,” he noted.
He said, “They’ve done their homework. They know it’s an area where he struggles, and they are exploiting it effectively. It’s concerning, and he must fix it quickly.”
Younis concluded by saying, “Azam needs to turn his weaknesses, especially against short balls, into strengths. If he doesn’t, bowlers will continue to target him and repeatedly expose the same flaws.”
Azam Khan plays domestically for Islamabad United and the Sindh team. However, on the international stage, he has yet to prove himself, as he has not been consistent in his performance for the national team.
As a wave of grief and anger grips India over the deadly Pahalgam attack in Occupied Kashmir, the sporting community has also strongly reacted to the incident with a former Indian cricketer going on to level baseless allegations against Pakistan.
At least 26 people, including an Indian Navy officer, were killed Tuesday when terrorists opened fire at popular tourist spot in southern Kashmir – some 90 kilometres from Srinagar.
While condemnations and messages of support pour in from around the world, Indian media has alleged Pakistani involvement – a claim that has been rejected by Islamabad as baseless while expressing grief over the loss of lives.
Despite a little-known group, the Kashmir Resistance, claiming responsibility for the attack in a social media message, baseless Indian reports has led to a propaganda campaign against Pakistan.
“SAY NO TO CRICKET! This is exactly why I say – you don’t play cricket with Pakistan. Not now. Not ever,” former Indian cricketer Shreevats Goswami said in a post rooted in the baseless allegations.
“Now… this bloodshed again. It breaks something inside you. It makes you question how many more times we’re expected to stay silent, stay ‘sporting,’ while our people die. No more. Not this time,” he added.
Other cricketing stars, however, did not jump the propaganda bandwagon.
Former India captain and spinner Anil Kumble also offered condolences, saying, “Innocent lives lost to senseless violence. Praying for strength and peace for the affected families. Let’s stand together against hate.”
Indian opener Shubman Gill wrote, “Violence like this has no place in our country,” while KL Rahul said, “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the Pahalgam attack. My thoughts are with the families of the victims.”
Former India coach Ravi Shastri called it a moment for national unity, writing, “A ghastly, cowardly act that should unite the nation fully, bar none.”
Former spinner Harbhajan Singh also shared his thoughts, stating, “My heart goes out to the families of those who lost their lives. This can’t be forgiven.”
Cricketer-turned-politician Yusuf Pathan wrote, “Such acts of violence have no place in our society. May peace prevail,” while his brother Irfan Pathan added, “Every time an innocent life is lost, humanity loses.”
Parthiv Patel expressed disbelief at the tragic incident, saying, “Shocked and angry to hear what happened in Kashmir. There’s a numb disbelief at the terrible acts and how it all happened.”
Days after former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member Sher Afzal Marwat made several allegations against Aleema Khan, sister of former premier Imran Khan, the latter has expressed relief over his removal from the party.
“Thankfully, we got rid of Sher Afzal Marwat,” media reports quoted Khan as saying after the former PTI leader’s allegations against Aleema Khan.
Sher Afzal Marwat on Friday levelled a series of allegations against Aleema Khan, accusing her of orchestrating a trolling campaign against him and an abusive campaign against his late parents through social media.
“I was nominated in 57 FIRs [First Information Reports], two of my houses were demolished and I went to jail. Yesterday, my dead parents were subjected to an abusive campaign,” Marwat said while appearing on a private media outlet, adding that all this was being done despite all the sacrifices he had made for the party.
He alleged that Aleema was orchestrating the trolling and abusive campaign as “she is the social media boss”.
Claiming that her behaviour had always been “bossy” towards party leaders, Marwat alleged that PTI members also suffered “extremely inhumane treatment” at her hands.
He further claimed that when he complained to the PTI founder about Aleema’s behaviour, Imran Khan, in the presence of 29 party bigwigs, said that “nobody will answer Aleema’s phone as she has nothing to do with party matters”.
“Following the complaint, she openly came against me,” Marwat said, adding that since then, the PTI social media team as well as supporters like Shahbaz Gill and Imran Riaz Khan had been trolling him.
Recalling an incident of Aleema’s alleged attitude, Marwat said that during Ramzan, she summoned a party meeting at the Central Secretariat. “Barrister Gohar told Aleema that he had to go attend an iftar, to which she said, ‘You can’t even move’.”
In a meeting with his lawyers at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, it was reported that Imran Khan, while expressing reservations about the Mines and Minerals Bill 2025, summoned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur for the meeting regarding the bill.
Media reports further claimed that Imran Khan sent a message to the party leadership, urging them to end all disputes [among party members] with a stern message for Chairman PTI, Barrister Gohar, over his apologetic attitude.
The former prime minister also reportedly stated that the government had delayed talks with Afghanistan for far too long, adding that KP is a province suffering from terrorism. He instructed PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja to write a letter to the Chief Justice regarding the non-implementation of the rule of law.
Pakistani designer Maria B is in hot water again after digital creator Türkan Atay accused her of non-payment and unprofessional behaviour following a photoshoot in Turkey.
“I told you in my stories that I had been facing issues with a brand named Maria B, but you didn’t believe me,” Türkan said, adding that she was approached again for a photoshoot in Turkey this year.
She explained that in Turkey, there is a different setup for shoots, where the venue, model, and other elements have to be paid for per outfit. “That’s why I charged her per dress, because I had to cover all expenses, including the location, venue, etc.,” she added.
Türkan further claimed to have “clearly communicated” her rates: “I gave her my quotation and have all the messages as proof. I did the shoot, made the video, and posted everything on social media. She paid me a lump sum, but I had clearly told her that I charge per dress.”
The digital creator revealed that the brand later claimed “there must have been a misunderstanding because they usually pay based on reels.”
Expressing her disappointment, Türkan Atay added, “It’s been three months now — they’ve been wasting my time and treating me like a fool. Please return my money. That is my money, and I have every right to do whatever I want with it. I will never work with you again. I’m extremely angry at your unprofessional attitude.”
Following her video, Maria B issued a public clarification on social media, to which the digital creator also responded, saying: “Maria B has shared stories against me. Maria Baji, I can hear you loud and clear, but I have the proof of our entire chat.”
In the video, Türkan claimed, along with screenshots, that Maria B did not reply to her messages about the payment delay and said that “these things are handled by her manager.”
Türkan went on to reveal that Maria B deleted all her messages, adding, “but I have all the proofs and I will share the screenshots here. Why did you delete your messages? Why didn’t you pay our money?”
Maria B’s brand issued a statement denying any intentional wrongdoing, saying, “There was a regrettable misunderstanding that we were committed to resolve. At no point was the payment denied. A meeting had been set up to address the issue, but the influencer chose to make a defaming reel instead of resolving the issue amicably. We remain committed to supporting the creative community.”
However, after some time, the post was quietly deleted, and the backlash only intensified.
But things didn’t end there. Maria B is now facing severe online backlash. Many accused her of conveniently playing the religion card when under scrutiny, while ignoring basic business ethics.
Artist and activist Leena Ghani didn’t hold back either. In a series of Instagram stories, she wrote, “Exploiting a young Turkish artist wasn’t enough. Maria the B really can’t help herself. Is this why she loves Turkey? Because now that people in Pakistan know her tactics, she’s outsourcing the exploitation?”
She added, “Maria the B tried. She uploaded a video accusing @turkanpk of lying, but Türkan came with receipts. And just like that, Maria the B had no choice but to delete the video and wipe the comments to save face!”
She continued her criticism, saying, “Maria B is a Pakistani designer. She was never under any threat for speaking up for Falasteen. Nor should she be celebrated for speaking up while others in the fashion industry are silent… Speaking up at home means taking accountability and challenging power structures she benefits from. She’s no longer the hero, but the villain.”
Fans also chimed in with strong reactions, “I didn’t expect this from Maria B.”
“The bigger the name, the lesser the ethics.”
“Falasteen k haq mei awaz uthaatay uthaatay, apno ka haq kha gai ”
“File a legal action suit against her. This is diabolical, you deserve to get compensated!”
“Hope everyone learns from your video and experience and boycotts Maria B.”
Türkan’s experience has struck a chord with many creatives who’ve faced similar challenges after working with popular brands.
