Miandad unlikely to be given Indian visa

Javed Miandad is unlikely to be granted a visa to visit India again after it was announced that his son, Junaid, will marry Mahrooq, the daughter of Dawood Ibrahim, who is still wanted in India in connection with the Mumbai blasts of 1993. The wedding is to take place in Karachi, with a reception in Dubai.

The decision to deny Miandad a visa in future was taken at a meeting of officials from India's Ministry of External Affairs, according to an article in The Mumbai Mirror. Though it was agreed that officially declaring Miandad persona non grata would provoke a response from Pakistan, the officials have apparently decided that any requests for a visa from his side in the future would be politely turned down.

Miandad has visited India several times in the recent past to watch matches and offer his views on TV analysis shows. But with this marriage alliance queering the pitch as far as India is concerned, it could be a long time before he appears on Indian TV screens again.