Islamabad, June 8: The federal cabinet of Pakistan has rejected a request of Pakistan Television (PTV) to sign an agreement with Indian companies to broadcast the upcoming Pakistan-England cricket series. Pakistan are scheduled to tour England for 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is to be played between July 8 and July 20.

The decision was taken by the federal cabinet and was announced by the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Fawad Chaudhry. "The cabinet has rejected the request of PTV to sign an agreement with Sony and Star India to air the England-Pakistan cricket series," Chaudhry said.

"Sony and Star have monopoly over all the cricket content of South Asia and the entire rights are with the Indian companies. We cannot sign agreement with any Indian company and so the series will not be aired in Pakistan," he added. Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah Return to Pakistan’s Test Squad for West Indies Tour; Azam Khan, Imad Wasim Named in T20I Squad.

However, the minister said that they would try to find a middle ground by approaching the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The announcement to not let Indian companies have broadcasting rights comes with the same background of not allowing any relations with India until its government reverses its decision taken on August 5, 2019, which changed the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Our ties with India cannot be normalised until those actions are withdrawn," Chaudhry said. The rejection to have agreements with the Indian companies will have financial implications, which Chaudhry said would be borne by the PTV and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2021 10:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).