World T20 in India: Pakistan wants safety guarantees

Will not be in a position to allow cricket team to visit India till security on govt level is ensured, says Nisar

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI:

Pakistan has refused to allow its men’s and women’s cricket teams to travel to India for the World T20 tournament unless New Delhi provides public guarantees for their safety, throwing into doubt its participation in the mega event.

“We want surety that when the Pakistan cricket team plays in India, it would not be under any sort of pressure, for which guarantee is needed,” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told reporters in Islamabad on Thursday.



The country’s national teams were due to depart for India on Wednesday, but their travels were delayed owing to security concerns raised after extremist groups threatened the team, and the chief minister of Indian state of Himachal Pradesh refused to provide adequate security for Pakistan’s match against the hosts. The tie was scheduled to be held in the state’s hill town of Dharamsala on March 19.

Based on a report drawn up by the security review team, Pakistan demanded a change in venue a day earlier. The International Cricket Council (ICC) agreed to the last-minute request and changed the venue to Kolkata in West Bengal. While Pakistan welcomed the decision, it sought written assurance on security from New Delhi.

“We would not be in a position to allow the cricket team to visit India till security on the government level is ensured,” Nisar said, adding that there was consensus in Islamabad that playing in Dharamsala posed a risk to the team.

Explaining the decision, the security czar said the government had initially decided to send the cricket teams to India but lamented the series of threats and allegations that emanated from the east. “After a series of threats and allegations started from India, tell me how is it possible to play cricket under the shadow of threats?”

“Pakistan is a cricket-loving country and a former world champion, we want to play cricket,” he stressed.

While acknowledging ICC’s efforts to resolve the issue by sanctioning the change in venues, Nisar explained that neither the sport’s governing body, nor the Board of Control for Cricket for India (BCCI) could ensure security for Pakistan.



“We want an even playing field for our players and don’t want the team to be under any sort of pressure while playing at Eden Gardens in Kolkata,” Nisar said, adding that they did not want to see “a single bottle or stone chucked while the team is playing.”



The long wait

Pakistan’s national team players were waiting with packed bags to board an early Friday morning flight for Dubai before heading to India, subject to a green-light from Islamabad.

“It’s frustrating to keep waiting for the green signal because as an athlete you want to go out and play with a free mind but at the same time government is thinking about our protection too,” one of the players told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity.

“PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan has asked all the players to focus on their game and remain mentally prepared for the World T20, because the deadlock can end at any point.”

Meanwhile, a top PCB official said that the matter was in government’s hand.

“As soon as the government gives us the signal, we will take the next available flight [to India].”



Kamal invited to present evidence

The interior minister again extended his invitation to former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal to present before a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) committee any evidence he had against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership.

“Can a crackdown be started against a political party which has very evident political support? Can it be banned with two words and declared anti-state,” he said, adding that he could not form a new committee to probe allegations revealed each day.

Nisar said the committee was focusing on three main issues including the party’s alleged money laundering, criminal activities and allegations of having ties with Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), and information revealed by Sarfraz Merchant in an interview concerning MQM’s top leadership.



He added that Memon was currently consulting his legal team on whether to return to Pakistan and give his statement, otherwise an FIA team was ready to visit him in the UK.

Nisar added that they would decide on whether to form a judicial commission based on the committee’s findings.


Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2016.