T20 WC: India, Pakistan Fans’ Support For Rival Team On FB Impresses Zuckerberg

Fans from India and Pakistan have chosen to back each other’s team ahead of the high-voltage India-Pakistan match in the ongoing T20 World Cup as a mark of protest to the prolonged tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The move, which saw fans from both sides of the Wagah by posting profile pictures on Facebook with their rival team’s colours, even impressed chief of the social networking site, Mark Zuckerberg. The hashtag #ProfileforPeace was trending on Facebook ahead of the match on Saturday (March 19).
“Something pretty interesting is happening in India and Pakistan on Facebook right now,” Zuckerberg said in a post.
Recently, Pakistan’s match with India had to be moved to Kolkata from Dharamshala over security concerns. Earlier to that, Pakistani Ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali’s events in Maharashtra had to be cancelled following threats by the Shiv Sena.
Similar signs of intolerance were seen in Pakistan too after the skipper of the Pakistani side, Shahid Afridi, was seen facing flak over his remark that he receives more love in India than back home. India and Pakistan have faced three wars since Independence in 1947 besides a conflict in Kargil and possibilities of smooth talks between them have remained less despite efforts made by the leadership of both countries from time to time. Bilateral cricketing ties between the two countries were hit following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and they are yet to be normalised.(Agencies)