Srinagar: A final match of a cricket tournament kick started after the anthem of Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) was played on Sunday in Pulwama district.
The incident was recorded and streamed live on social networking site Facebook, which interestingly stands banned in Kashmir.
A youth, who resides in Pulwama town, told the FreePressKashmir that a cricket tournament had started some time ago in the district and the final match of which, was played yesterday in sports stadium Pulwama. The stadium is located next to Degree College Pulwama.
“At the start of the (final) match of the tournament – trophy was lifted by a team from Pampore town – the players donning blue jerseys stood in attention as national anthem of ‘Azaad Kashmir’ was being played,” the youth, who works with a private firm based in the district headquarters, said.
The final of the tournament – sponsored and co-sponsored by many business players of the district – was won by ‘Shining Stars Pampore’ against locals who represented ‘Pulwama Tigers’.
It is a second incident of its kind which was reported in media from Valley in less than two months.
Shining Stars Pampore won by 5 wickets scoring 105 runs in allotted 20 hours. “When the second innings started around 1: 43 pm, the anthem was played again,” a middle aged shopkeeper from Pulwama said.
“Chasing the score, Pampore team lost two wickets in short span of time which came as big relief for the defenders.” He added, “The spectators also raised some slogans at that time.” The match ended around 3:30 pm.
In March, two cricket teams were booked by police under various sections of RPC for playing the national anthem of Pakistan.
