On 9th October, Pakistani ICC World Cup presenter Zainab Abbas exited from India. As per Samaa TV, she “exited India over safety concerns”. The media house added that she went to Dubai after leaving India. Her old tweets surfaced when she announced that she would be a presenter at the Cricket World Cup 2023 that India is hosting.
Pakistani sports presenter Zainab Abbas has safely exited India over "safety concerns"
— SAMAA TV (@SAMAATV) October 9, 2023
She is currently in Dubai; allegations involve #cybercrime and old anti-India tweets #ICCWorldCup2023 #IndiaPakistan #WorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/DRWKMZs0qS
On 2nd October, Abbas posted on X (formerly Twitter) that she was excited to be a presenter at the ICC World Cup. However, X user YearOfTheKraken objected to the selection and posted screenshots of her old anti-Hindu and anti-India posts. In one of these old tweets, she ranted, “This 120 crore population can’t produce one fast bowler. Eat some f*c*ing meat u shud shakaharis.”
EXCLUSIVE KRAKEN IMPACT: Zainab Abbas has reportedly been deported after my tweet went documenting her past bigotry went viral https://t.co/D0ljT7EgcM pic.twitter.com/FUg0OvVfNT
— Sensei Kraken Zero (@YearOfTheKraken) October 9, 2023
She used the cow piss jibe in another tweet to target Indians, particularly Hindus. She wrote, “..true it does Man went Delhi, and it smells of cow piss. Oops, that’s their maa Kaali maa.” The posts were deleted, and she had changed her handle years ago, but as it is said, ‘once it is on the internet, it is there forever’ the posts came back to bite her before her stint at ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
On 6th October, Supreme Court lawyer Vineet Jindal filed a complaint against her over her old posts. In his complaint dated 4th October, Jindal stated that Zainab Abbas had made anti-India and Hinduphobic statements. Taking to X, advocate Vineet Jindal informed about the complaint filed with the Cyber Cell of Delhi Police. He requested that an FIR be filed against Zainab Abbas under sections 153A, 295, 506, 121 IPC and sec 67 IT Act for disparaging remarks about Hinduism and anti-India statements. Moreover, the advocate demanded that the Pakistani presenter be removed from the list of presenters for the ongoing ICC Men’s World Cup.
Pakistani fans fumed at Zainab Abbas’s exit
The reports of Zainab leaving India led to outrage among Pakistani cricket fans, who then spewed venom against India. They accused India of being “intolerant”.
X user Shehryar said, “After looking at Zainab Abbas’ case, I’ve actually developed sympathy for Irfan Pathan…He does all this for him and his family’s safety…India is so intolerant, insecure and is highly influenced by hindutva terr*rist outfit i.e RSS.”
After looking at Zainab Abbas' case, I've actually developed sympathy for Irfan Pathan…He does all this for him and his family's safety…India is so intolerant,insecure and is highly influenced by hindutva terr*rist outfit i.e RSS.
— Shehryar. (@bakwasnakarain) October 9, 2023
Stay strong @ZAbbasOfficial
X user JahanZaib wrote, “The incident of deporting Zainab Abbas by India is very sad, now we are worried about our team, may Allah protect them.” It appears he knows what kind of anti-Hindu venom Pakistani cricketers spew regularly.
The incident of deporting Zainab Abbas by India is very sad, now we are worried about our team, may Allah protect them. #ZainabAbbas #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/doAhHoy6vT
— JahanZaib (@JahanZaibb_) October 9, 2023
Sports journalist of Samaa TV Qadir Khawaja called India a “coward” for “deporting” Zainab. In a post in Urdu, he claimed Zainab was a “guest”, but she was deported after a lawyer filed a complaint against her.
Coward India 😔😔
— Qadir Khawaja (@iamqadirkhawaja) October 9, 2023
فاختہ نے بتایا ہے کہ ورلڈ کپ پریزینٹر پاکستانی خاتون زینب عباس ورلڈ کپ چھوڑ کر دبئی روانہ ہوگئیں ہیں انہوں نے safely exit لے لیا ہے اور بھارت میں ان کو سکیورٹی تھریٹس اور ان پر پریشر بڑھ رہا تھا… بھارت مہمان نواز ملک ثابت نہیں ہوا… زینب مہمان تھی لیکن ان پر… pic.twitter.com/LajYH0SSzl
X user Rubab said, “Zainab Abbas has departed from India. (Samaa TV). Shame On you India. You can’t Deserve to Host Worldcup. India has to be worst host in worldcup history. Pathetic from neighbors.”
Zainab Abbas has departed from India. (Samaa TV).
— Rubab 🇵🇰 (@R_4_Rubab) October 9, 2023
Shame On you India. You can't Deserve to Host Worldcup. India has to be worst host in worldcup history. Pathetic from neighbors.😐#zainababbas pic.twitter.com/NkNLPp7vs5
It is notable here that Zainab was not “deported”. She went back on her own accord, possibly after her old tweets triggered police complaints against her. Samaa TV corrected its earlier post that said she was ‘deported’, and later shared another post saying she has ‘safely exited India’ over safety concerns.
