Pakistan's telecast of cricket series with England in jeopardy

In what could be a major blow to cricket fans in the country, the federal government has rejected a request by the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) to sign a deal with an Indian broadcaster that holds the right to telecast the upcoming series between Pakistan and England in South Asia.

However, Pakistan would try to explore different options, including approaching the England Cricket Board and other foreign companies to secure broadcasting rights, said Federal Minister for Information and Technology Fawad Hussain Chaudhry.

While addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, Chaudhry said that PTV Sports made a request for a contract with Star Sports, which holds the broadcasting rights for the Pakistan tour of England.

However, he rejected the request as the government does not wish to engage in a business deal with any Indian company in the aftermath of the country's unilateral actions in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on August 05, 2019.

“Indian companies hold the rights to broadcast [matches] in South Asia ... and we cannot conduct business with any Indian company," Chaudhry said in the press conference on Tuesday.

“Normalisation of ties with India is subject to it taking back the August 5 decision," he added.

The minister, however, admitted that the decision will have financial repercussions for national television.

The same Indian company holds the broadcast rights for the upcoming T20 World Cup in October-November, which means that the telecast of the mega event in Pakistan is also in jeopardy.

Pakistan is set to travel to England for a limited-overs series including three ODIs and as many T20Is later this month. The series will officially start from the 8 July with the first ODI in Cardiff after a seven-day mandated quarantine period followed by a couple of practice games.