PESHAWAR: The Afghan women’s football team has arrived in Pakistan through Torkham border crossing on Wednesday.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Wednesday morning also confirmed on Twitter, saying that players of the Afghan women’s football team were in possession of valid Afghan passport and Pakistani visa. Noman Nadeem of the Pakistan Football Federation welcomed the team at the Torkham border.
Read more:
Afghan women won’t be allowed to play cricket, Taliban say
Women share photos of Afghan dresses to protest Taliban’s black hijab
Pashto musicians face uncertain future under Taliban
According to sources, the players of the Afghan women’s national football team were hiding in Afghanistan to escape the Taliban, who has banned women from playing any sport, including cricket and football. The Associated Press (AP) has also reported the girls’ lives were in danger simply because they chose to play their favorite sport. A suicide bomber blew himself up at Kabul airport a few days ago in an attempt to target members of Afghanistan’s women’s national football team, their families and football federation staff. A total of 169 Afghans and 13 US soldiers were killed in the blast.
On Tuesday, Islamabad had announced to allow the Afghan Girls National Youth Football Team to enter Pakistan. The authorities said that they will be issuing temporary visas to the team stranded in Afghanistan, facing continue threats from the extremists groups.
Last week, the Taliban culture minister has told the Australian media that women would not be allowed to participate in any sport where they cannot cover their bodies and faces. However, he said the male cricket team will be facilitated to play and will be allowed to visit Australia for a cricket series soon. The minister said that there is no need for women to participate in sporting activities.
The Taliban leader’s announcement had draw strong backlash from the international community. The Australian Cricket Board has also warned to cancel the cricket tournament if women were not allowed to participate in sports. But Azizullah Fazli, head of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, told the BBC that the Taliban had promised that girls would be allowed to play cricket. The caretaker Taliban government has not yet issued any official statement or policy on women’s participation in sports.
Officials said that Pakistan has issued visas to 150 Afghan female athletes and their families, but so far 80 athletes and their families have arrived in Pakistan. The Punjab Sports Ministry said in a statement that Afghan women athletes were being transported to the United States with the help of an international organisation and would only be in Lahore for a few days.
The officials said that Sports Minister Rai Taimur Khan would meet the female Afghan athletes and their families on Wednesday afternoon. The officials added that the players and their families have been given a special venue during their stay in Pakistan.