Harsha Bhogle condemns Waqar Younis for Namaz remark

Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle has condemned Waqar Younis for saying that watching Mohammad Rizwan providing the Namaz in entrance of Hindus through the India versus Pakistan T20 World Cup match was very particular for him.
Harsha Bhogle mentioned that it was one of the vital disappointing issues he had heard and it was horrible for Waqar Younis to say such a factor. Bhogle mentioned, “For a person of Waqar Younis’ stature to say that watching Rizwan offering namaz in front of Hindus was very special to him, is one of the most disappointing things I have heard. A lot of us try hard to play such things down and talk up sport and to hear this is terrible.”
Source: Twitter
Harsha Bhogle said additional, “I really hope that a lot of genuine sportslovers in Pakistan are able to see the dangerous side to this statement and join in my disappointment. It makes it very difficult for sportslovers like us to try and tell people it is just sport, just a cricket match.”
The commentator mentioned that he was “sure” Waqar Younis would apologise for the remark.
Here’s why Harsha Bhogle is being naive
While Bhogle seems to imagine that sports activities lovers in Pakistan would see the bigotry within the remark by Waqar Younis, the reality of the matter is that it’s a particularly mainstream opinion within the nation. In the aftermath of Pakistan’s victory, their Interior Minister had mentioned that it was victory for the Muslim world.
Furthermore, Shoaib Akhtar was current on the discuss present when the previous Pakistani pacer made the remark and Akhtar didn’t even flinch. Of course, previous to the match, Shoaib Akhtar had himself reiterated his religion within the two nation principle, the idea that led to the partition and the genocide of Hindus that adopted, throughout a chat present with Harbhajan Singh.
This mentality amongst Pakistani cricketers isn’t new. Former captain of the Pakistan cricket crew and the present Prime Minister of the nation, Imran Khan, had mentioned throughout his days as a participant that he thought-about matches in opposition to India as a ‘Jihad’ waged for the reason for Kashmiri Muslims.
Imran Khan had mentioned within the early Nineteen Eighties, “Well, when we play against India, I don’t see this game as cricket. I think of Kashmir, and regard it as a jihad.”
Shahid Afridi had mentioned proudly throughout a chat present that he had smashed his TV set after he discovered his daughter watching a Hindu ritual being carried out on a present on Star Plus. Apart from that, Afridi has additionally claimed that India is committing atrocities in opposition to Kashmiris and used deplorable language for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. More just lately, Afridi had mentioned that “Taliban have come with a very positive mind.”
Thus, the feedback made by Waqar Younis is according to the tradition that manifests itself within the Pakistan cricket crew. For Harsha Bhogle to count on an apology from Younis is naive within the excessive. While Younis may problem a half hearted apology earlier than lengthy, it is rather a lot uncertain whether or not it might be motivated by any critical sense of guilt.
Persecution of minorities can also be extraordinarily normalised in Pakistan, usually with state sanction. Hindu ladies and Christians are sometimes kidnapped and forcefully transformed to Islam earlier than marrying them off in a Muslim household. Despite worldwide outcry, the persecution of minorities has continued unabated.