J&K: Spectators chant pro-Pak, pro militant slogans at Army-sponsored cricket match

Srinagar: Much to the embarrassment of senior Army and police officers and other authorities present, the spectators who had turned up at a cricket match held in a government stadium in Jammu and Kashmir’s central district of Budgam on Saturday chanted pro-Pakistan and pro-militant slogans.

The witnesses said that a section of the crowd at the Army-sponsored Kashmir Premier League match held in Budgam stadium began chanting pro-Pakistan slogans and also those in favour of militant commander Zakir Musa towards the end of the match.

Musa revolted against Kashmir's frontline indigenous outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahedin earlier this year and was subsequently appointed by al-Qaida as the head of its newly created cell in Kashmir named ‘Ansar Ghuzwat-Ul-Hind’.

The tournament was organised by the Army’s 53 Rashtriya Rifles and sloganeering started at the end of the final match played between the teams representing Budgam and Ompora areas of Budgam, reports said.

“The supporters of Ompora team which won the match chanted slogans in favour of Pakistan and Musa,” said a witness.

Neither the Army nor the police intervened as that would have created a law and order situation, said an official who requested anonymity. A spectator can be seen waving a green flag amid sloganeering at the stadium in a video which has been uploaded on social media.