KARACHI – Ecstatic, the victorious green shirts felt like dishing out their hearts to their blue-shirted rivals after winning the match… the scenes inside the Karachi Central Prison were wishful thinking for those who had gunned for Pakistan to win the cricket world cup semi-final clash against India on March 30.
These celebrations – after Saturday’s match between Pakistani and Indian teams – were a part of a cricket world cup going on inside the city’s largest prison with teams comprising juvenile prisoners. An Indian prisoner, Kamles, was leading the team – named on his home country. Talking with Pakistan Today, Kamles said he had no time for cricket in India as being a fisherman he spent up to 10 months of a year at sea. “It seems like we are in India because we are playing cricket and watching television,” he added.
While prisoners of different nationalities support their respective national cricket teams, Kamles had wanted the Pakistani cricket team to win the Cricket World Cup as the government might have announced special remissions for the prisoners to mark the victory of the national team. During the last month, the gates of Karachi’s prison for youthful offenders have opened up frequently to receive more gentlemen than criminals. Inside, white shirts and blue trousers have something different on show to the visitors. There are bats, balls and many cheerful voices. For 22-year-old prisoner, Imran Ali, it is time to play what he calls the game prohibited by the Taliban. The Taliban had prohibited cricket in his hometown, back in northwest Swat valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “When Swat was being bombed, the people were even scared to come out of their houses.
I’m happy, because I enjoy playing (cricket),” he added. The provincial government had announced a public holiday on the day of the second semi final match between Pakistan and India. Outside the prison, cricket enthusiasts had installed giant screens in offices and auditoriums, along the streets and at public parks to watch the match. Inside the prisons, the jail administration had also made special arrangements to show the Indo-Pak world cup semi final match on big screens. The jails in Karachi house nearly 300 Indian inmates, who are all fishermen charged with violating Pakistan’s water territories. As the cricket mega-event begun in the neighbouring South Asian countries, the Sindh Prison Department had a unique idea to hold another world cup of its kind inside the Karachi prison.
Police Superintendent Rafiq Ahmed Awan is the in charge of the juvenile prison, where the event is being held since early March. Because the World Cup is a largely highlighted, mega cricket event and people enjoy it in our country, we also named this event as the world cup,” said Awan, adding that different teams comprising prisoners from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan play 10-over matches among them. Fourteen teams comprising over 150 prison inmates were named on different countries like Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Ireland, New Zealand, England, South Africa and West Indies. In the morning, the juvenile offenders go to the Industrial Training School of the prison and get vocational training as the prison administration has declared primary education compulsory.
During the evening, everyone moves to the playground on alternate days to play world cup cricket matches. Taking notice of the inmates’ growing interest in cricket, the prison authorities have also provided them a television set. Superintendent Awan wants to awake dead desires in prison inmates. He also plays with them. “We are giving them life; we want to tell them how joyous life is outside the prison. We give them a similar environment as they might have never been given any opportunities. I wish every one of them becomes a cricketer, footballer or officer one day. Our efforts are for this,” said the prison official. Many countries had refused to play in Pakistan after the Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked by terrorists in 2009 in Lahore and the ICC, declaring the country as unsafe for organising international events, shifted the 2011 World Cup cricket matches to be played in the country.
However, some foreign prisoners have kept international cricket going on. A lot of foreigners get the time to know more what cricket is all about. Muhammad Imran, a prisoner whose Burmese parents had migrated to Pakistan, is a player of the Bangladeshi team in the tournament but wants to see his home country’s team playing in the real world cup. “It was real fun that day when our team Bangladesh played against the Indian team,” he said. “But I would have been glad if Burma had its national cricket team. I feel our nation would also have enjoyed like the Pakistanis if they were playing (world cup),” added Imran. For Sher Agha – an Afghani prisoner – getting education is more interesting than playing games. He had arrived in Karachi from Kabul a month ago, but landed in the prison on drugs trafficking charges. “I come to the ground to pass my time, otherwise I don’t have any interest in cricket,” he said.
“When, I came here, I could not read or write. I only had religious education given by the Taliban in Afghanistan because there were no schools. Now, I go to a school and I am learning,” added Agha. Another prisoner, Muhammad Waqas, said that now he has an aim for life. “I am feeling better. When a person plays and if he wins, he gets an aim in life,” he said. A rickshaw driver, Muhammad Sabir, listens to the live commentary of a cricket match on his cell phone. He wants the next world cup to be held in the country. “The next world cup should be held in Pakistan as terrorism has defamed the country in the world,” he said. His views reflect there is no room for terrorism in Pakistan but only love for cricket.
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