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Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
BJP steps up its Waqf Act outreach campaign in U.P.
: The Bharatiya Janata Party is pushing its pro-Waqf Amendment Act 2025 campaign forward in Uttar Pradesh, holding statewide outreach programme to convince the minorities that the legislation is the need of the hour and not against the interests of the Muslims. Union minister for parliamentary affairs and minority affairs Kiren Rijiju is expected to participate in one such programme in Lucknow on May 9. The BJP has been running the Waqf Sudhar Janjagran Abhiyan from April 20 in the state with the help of its frontal organisations like the Minority Morcha, Mahila Morcha and the Yuva Morcha. Besides ministers in the BJP government, party office bearers, MPs and MLAs have been tasked with reaching out to the youngsters, women and other members of the minority community to make them understand the benefits and the need of the Waqf Amendment Act. Disclosing more details about the campaign, UP chief of the BJP Minority Morcha Kunwar Basit Ali said, 'Workshops for the Waqf Amendment Act have been held across districts in the state so far. We are also running Waqf Sudhar Janjagran Abhiyan in districts where one minister and one member of the minority community is going among the people. This has been held in more than 30 districts so far. The rest will also be covered soon.' 'Soon, we will start our programmes district-wise. It will be called Alpsankhyak Prabuddh Samvad, in which the responsibility for calling people will be with the local MLA. In parliamentary constituencies, it will be done by the MPs. In constituencies, where our candidate couldn't win, the responsibility will be given to the MP or MLA candidate who had contested,' Basit Ali added. 'This time, the BJP Mahila Morcha is also entrusted with the responsibility of holding these Janjagran programmes and get at least 100 women from the minority community to the programme. In every assembly constituency, the Mahila Morcha has been given a target to reach out to at least 500 people. Similarly, the BJP Yuva Morcha will contact youth from the minority community and educate them about the details and benefits of the Waqf Amendment Act. Posters, pamphlets and booklets have also been issued by the party which will be distributed in these outreach programmes.' The pamphlets and booklets explain what the Waqf Amendment Act is and mention its key points. The booklets have pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief minister Yogi Adityanath and other senior BJP leaders. They highlight how a CWC report in 2018 indicated that Waqf has eight lakh acres of land with an approximate value of ₹10 lakh crore. The booklet also talks about how Waqf has 'looted' the Muslim community. It also mentions an alleged land scam in Karnataka Waqf Board by Congress leaders and carries a picture of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Kunwar Basit Ali also said the BJP members will reach out to social media influencers, prominent people of the minority community, doctors, madrasa administrators and engineers. 'Along with this, central ministers will also participate in these outreach programmes. On May 9, 2025, Union minister for parliamentary affairs and minority affairs Kiren Rijiju will participate in this outreach programme and will meet members of the minority community, which can be even Jain, Parsi, Sikh or Christian community (members). He will also hold a meeting with the Muslims community representatives and address a press conference in this regard,' added Basit Ali who was on his way to Bulandshahr for a similar programme.
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Javed Miandad 'can't believe' Sunil Gavaskar's Asia Cup stance; Little Master's Pakistan boycott called out as 'stupid'
Let's get one thing out of the way. A legend of Sunil Gavaskar's stature does not need validation. He has played enough cricket, followed the game even longer, for his stance on topics to be respected the world over. Yes, his opinion could be polarising. Not many may agree, but he is never disrespected like a few former Pakistan cricketers have just done. From Javed Miandad, his long-time pal off the field, to Basit Ali, Gavaskar's take that Pakistan could be banned from participating in the Asia Cup, has received widespread criticism from across the border, with Miandad refusing to believe his ears. The former Pakistan captain has expressed surprise that Gavaskar, of all people, would mix cricket with politics. Gavaskar's firm take on Pakistan's Asia Cup participation came after 26 civilians were killed and many injured during the fatal Pahalgam attack on April 22, and while the Little Master has, at times, stayed away from delicate matters, he did not this time around. "I can't believe Sunny bhai said this. He's a respectful, down-to-earth person who always stayed away from politics," Miandad told Former Pakistan spinner Iqbal Qasim was equally surprised and said "Gavaskar is a responsible figure loved on both sides of the border. Politics should not mix with sports." However, the most volatile statement came from Basit Ali, who is known for his explosive takes on matters. The former Pakistan cricketers called Gavaskar's comments 'stupid' and demanded strong evidence before jumping the gun. "It's absolutely stupid. Let the investigation conclude. Cricket should remain above political hostilities," he said. Former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed urged cricket legends to remain calm and composed in their decisions, citing Hazrat Ali (RA): "Never make a decision in anger, lest it leads to regret." He highlighted Pakistan's vital role in global cricket and cautioned against letting politics interfere with the sport. Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah to be denied India vice-captaincy for England Tests as Ajit Agarkar in search of 'young face' The BCCI consistently follows the Indian government's directives, and this is unlikely to change for the Asia Cup, according to Gavaskar's interview with Sports Today. India and Sri Lanka are co-hosting the 2025 edition of the Asia Cup, and unless there's a shift in circumstances, Pakistan's participation could be doubtful. Gavaskar stressed that the situation hinges on whether relations between India and Pakistan improve in the coming months. He also warned that the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) could face dissolution if tensions persist, potentially leading to a smaller tournament with three or four teams, possibly including Hong Kong or the UAE. "I'm not sure how things will unfold. The ACC might cease to exist, and we could see a tournament with just a few nations, like a three- or four-team event," Gavaskar had said. He referred to India's decision earlier this year to play all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai, including the final, where they defeated New Zealand to claim the title, instead of travelling to Pakistan. Gavaskar also suggested that if India withdraws from the Asia Cup, the BCCI might organise a separate multi-nation tournament in India, inviting teams like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. "If India opts out of the ACC, they could host a four- or five-nation tournament in India, or even in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, but India would likely take the lead as the host," he added.
Mint
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali's YouTube channels banned; List of Pakistan cricketers' YT handles still accessible in India
YouTube channels of former Pakistan cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Basit Ali are among those which were banned in India following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that took the lives of 26 innocent souls mostly tourists. The Government of India on Monday (April 28) issued a circular to ban as many as 16 YouTube channels from Pakistan. The decision was taken on the recommendations of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government of India for disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir. The total subscribers count of the banned 16 channels amounts to 63.08 million. Interestingly, the YouTube channels of Akhtar and Ali weren't on the list of 16 which were banned by India. Screengrab of the message shown when trying to access Shoaib Akhtar and Basit Ali's YouTube channels from India. 'This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order. For more details about government removal requests, please visit the Google Transparency Report ( read a message while trying to open the YouTube channels of Ali and Akhtar. Dawn News Irshad Bhatti SAMAA TV ARY News BOL News Raftar The Pakistan Reference Geo News Samaa Sports GNN Uzair Cricket Umar Cheema Exclusive Asma Shirazi Muneeb Farooq Suno News HD Razi Naaam However, there are still a few YouTube channels by former Pakistan cricketers which are still running in India. Among them are Umar akmal, Ahmed Shahzad, Danish Kaneria and former captains Salman Butt Shahid Afridi and Inzamam-ul-Haq. Among the five running in India, Afridi has most subscribers - 1.22 million followed by Inzamam (459K), Kaneria (454K), Shahzad (235K), Butt (158K) and Umar (15.6K). Umar Akmal ( Ahmed Shahzad ( Salman Butt ( Inzamam-ul-Haq ( Shahid Afridi ( Danish Kaneria ( First Published: 29 Apr 2025, 06:02 PM IST
NDTV
29-04-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Pahalgam Attack: What India's Boycott Means For Pakistan Cricket And Its Board
In the wake of the dastardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the Indian government has taken some significant stands in order to isolate Pakistan. The steps haven't only come from the political standpoint but also from a sporting perspective, with the aim being to cut all possible ties with the country. While India has not been playing bilateral cricket with Pakistan since the 2012-2013 series, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) not to put the two teams in the same groups in global events going forward. Pakistan's cricketing revenue has significant dependence on India, be it directly or indirectly. But, with the Indian government and the BCCI deciding to toughen their stance in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan is set to face a huge financial impact. No Indo-Pak cricket in ICC events: If India and Pakistan aren't put in the same group of ICC events like the World Cup and, Champions Trophy, the chances of the two teams facing each other reduce massively. When it comes to global cricketing events, the organisers deliberately put India and Pakistan in the same group in order to maximise revenue. But, with the BCCI asking the ICC to not do that again, the revenue is bound to take a hit. As per the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), India vs Pakistan cricket matches have generated an estimated Rs 10,000 crore ($1.3 billion) in the last two decades. Advertisers even agree to shell out extravagant prices for 10-second ads during India vs Pakistan matches. The PCB depends a lot on the revenue it earns from the ICC but India's boycott could result into the apex body's revenue taking a hit, which would directly impact Pakistan's income too. With Pakistan struggling to even cross group stages of ICC events in current times, entire tournament could conclude without a single Indo-Pak match being witnessed. Reduced advertising revenue is expected to have a significant impact on the earnings of PCB. Broadcast Boycott: The broadcast of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has already been stopped in India, in the wake of the Pahalgam attack. Even the Pakistan cricket team's forthcoming international fixtures are unlikely to be aired in India. The development, hence, will affect a major chunk of the revenue the PCB earns from Indian broadcasters. Already in financial doldrums over their unprofessional affairs in recent years, the crisis that the PCB has been trying to mitigiate for long looks set to hit an all new low. Even YouTube channels of a number of former Pakistan cricketers have been banned in India. The likes of Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali, Rashit Latif, etc. manage to generate a lot of revenue through social media due to Indian fans. But, that would no longer be possible. In the past, even former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja had even highlighted how dependent the PCB is on India for its revenue streams. "The ICC is a politicised body divided between the Asian and Western blocs and 90 per cent of its revenues are generated from India. It is frightening," Raja had said in October 2021, when he was a month into his job as PCB chief. "In a way India's business houses are running Pakistan cricket and if tomorrow the Indian PM decides he will not allow any funding to Pakistan, this cricket board can collapse," he added. Listen to the latest songs, only on
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali's YouTube channels banned in India as government takes strict action after Pahalgam attack
In the aftermath of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, which saw 26 civilians lose their lives last week on Tuesday, the Indian government took stringent action against Pakistan, banning as many as 16 of their YouTube channels in the country. Some of those channels belong to prominent Pakistan cricket personalities such as Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali, and Rashid Latif. "This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order. For more details about government removal requests, please visit the Google Transparency Report ( this is what the message reads when either of the channels is visited in India. These channels were blocked for allegedly disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content as well as false and misleading narratives against India, its Army and security agencies after the tragic incident. The decision was taken following recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs and constitutes a part of the Indian government's series of non-military actions against Pakistan. A senior government official said, 'On the recommendations of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government of India has banned the 16 Pakistani YouTube channels including Dawn News, Samaa TV, Ary News, Geo News for disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir.' Besides the aforementioned three, former Pakistan bowler Tanveer Ahmed's YouTube channel was banned in India. As of now, none of these personalities has made a public statement on the ban, although it remains unclear whether it will be restored in the near future. Overall, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting blocked 16 big YouTube channels of Pakistan, which have a combined subscriber base of 63.08 million. These include both news agencies and individuals. The channels are: Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, Samaa TV, ARY News, BOL news, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, Suno News HD, and Razi Naama.
