Massive row over IND vs PAK Asia Cup clash months after Operation Sindoor: 'Stop profit over blood...'

Ahead of the upcoming India-Pakistan cricket face-off, scheduled months after border tension and a deadly Pahalgam terror attack, a political row has emerged in the country. As per the Asia Cup 2025 schedule, India will take on Pakistan on September 14. However, the match -- scheduled months after the Pahalgam horror -- has stirred a controversy, with the opposition reiterating a boycott call for Islamabad. 

The Pahalgam terror attack -- which happened on April 22 -- took 26 lives. In retaliation, India launched 'Operation Sindoor', destroying nine terror camps in Pakistan's Punjab province and Pak-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). The military action was followed by an escalation in border tensions, with Pakistan attempting to direct drone attacks towards Indian bordering states -- most of which were intercepted by the Indian air defence system. The three-day-long hostilities ended with a ceasefire agreement between the two neighbours on May 10. 

The Asia Cup 2025 schedule was released yesterday, i.e., July 26, coinciding with the Kargil Vijay Diwas, which marks India's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War of 1999. Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to comment on the same. 

'Stop your profit over blood of the forces' 

The opposition has questioned how India can play with Pakistan after the recent bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir. Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rajya Sabha MP from the Uddhav Thackeray faction, slammed 'profit over blood of the armed forces', stating that Indians would oppose any cricket match with Pakistan, no matter if it is played within the country or abroad. 

"Dear BCCI, remember all of us Indians will protest any engagement with Pakistan on the cricket ground whichever country you move this to. Stop your profit over the blood of Indians and Armed Forces. On one hand India's CDS has said Operation Sindoor is ongoing and on the other hand you'll rush to earn your blood money," she said.

Sukhdev Bhagat, Lok Sabha MP from Jharkhand, was one of the Congress voices who said that national sentiments of the entire country are hurt due to the acts of Pakistan. "Many people say that sports should be kept separate from politics or everything else, but patriotism and national sentiments of the entire country are hurt due to the acts of Pakistan. We should take further steps only after taking strong action against them," said Bhagat. 

Mohammed Azharuddin, who captained the India Team during the 1990s, also weighed in, opining that India should opt out of sports events with Pakistan. 

"My stand is that if you are not playing bilateral events, then you should not play international events either. But whatever the government and the board decide will happen," said Azharuddin.