LAHORE: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Wednesday called off its planned three-nation international hockey tournament this month after India pulled out of the event.
India's pullout came after Malaysia, the third team in proposed tournament, withdrew two days back. PHF had scheduled the tournament from April 9 to 13.
"It is with deep regret that we have to announce that India has said it can't send its team for the competition," PHF secretary Asif Bajwa told a press conference.
"In the last two years, we have been to India several times and have invited them to come to Pakistan and assured them full hospitality and security. Unfortunately neither the federation nor their government has responded to us in the same way," Bajwa said.
He said Indian Hockey Federation informed PHF on Wednesday that their foreign ministry had advised them not to send the team to Pakistan due to security concerns. "Indian foreign ministry feels security situation in Pakistan is not ideal for international hockey that is why India is not coming," he added.
Bajwa said PHF planned the tournament in Lahore only after getting confirmations from India and Malaysia. "Both teams said they would send their team. But we will not lose hope and try to keep on making efforts to organise international events in Pakistan. The tour by China in December last year showed that there were no security issues for international teams playing in Pakistan.
"We are obviously disappointed with this development because Malaysia had also first confirmed they would take part in the event and then pulled out two days back," he added.
Bajwa said after Malaysia's withdrawal the PHF was hoping for a Test series against India. "We were hopeful that we could at least host Test series with all matches planned in Lahore."
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Quwait has stopped issuing VISAs to Pakistanis, Omanis thrashed them some time back, Malaysia has now pulled out from a Hockey series, the whole world is fed up of you guys. All this just to spite Hindus and India. I doubt if any landlord would give his house on rent to anybody claiming to come from Pakistan here in Australia.
You can be a normal and a flourishing country only if you give up your anti-hindu and anti-indian inclinations. The world is willing to give you a long rope. Finally it is for you to decide what you want to be. It is all the law of karma working here.
Have Mullah Omar Team play against Hafiz Sayeed team. Referee - Dawood. Organiser - Hamid Gul. I am sure there will be no security issues!!!
@Bombay Dude: I think you are being harsh on ET. The headline is accurate. Pakistan would probably have continued with the tournament if India had come. Since its a tri nation tournament and two countries are not coming, they have to scrap the tournament. I would have agreed with you if India had pulled out first followed by Malaysia.
@Arif: There you go. You went at the heart of the matter. Good job.
I wish at-least Pakistani Players could have made a A team and B team and continued with the series. It was really sad to see that Pakistan themselves scarped their own series.
Read the writing on the wall - Pakistan does not have a police system to reign in the militants or contain lawlessness. Sri lankan Cricket team was attached in Lahore and not in Balochistan. Unless we totally change our police system in the country who can effectively control and enforce laws things will not change in Pakistan. Pakistan is becoming a soft state like Somalia and Congo. Would Pakistan send their cricket team to Somalia ? We as Pakistanis have to wake up and smell the coffee. Malaysia and India should not be blamed for not sending their team - its us. Look within and see whats wrong with us. Look in the mirror :)
@jan: what do u expect from india, everyone know who was behind the attack on srilankan team.. Ha ha! Any explanation about Malaysian pull out? And, enlighten us - who attack on Sri Lankan team?
@Farid: And still 30 % of Gujarat population is Muslim who continue to stay and thrive. So thanks for volunteering for not coming to GUJARAT, we really don't want religiously biased people here.
@jan - why don't u surrender in front of the Pakistani authorities if you know who was behind it :P ..
@To all of the sensitive Pakistanis above. Please note Malaysia a country with dominating muslim population pulled out first citing the same reason. Why then just focus on India pulling out of the game. This is bad reporting and title by ET which chose to focus on India pulling out in head lines. Media does have responsibility to deliver right message and not the message what IT feels appropriate to deliver. There is something called responsible Journalism. And please do not come back with examples showing irresponsible journalism in India. Just because someone jumps off the cliff you dont have to do the same.
what do u expect from india, everyone know who was behind the attack on srilankan team..
Pakistan is not ready to host international events. It won't be for some time.
A message to Mr Asif Bajwa, sir this is a sincere advice that please shift your training camps to hilly stations of Pakistan i.e. Northern Areas, Kashmir, Swat or Gilgit. So that our team can compete with European countries. European countries are always practicing in cold weather and they win most of the competitions, as same is held in cool conditions. Same advice stands good for our football federation, if at all it is interested in doing something for the the national football team
@Shabbir: Why not? Don't you think the brotherly Muslim Malaysians value their life as much as not so brotherly Hindu Indians?
With the Indians , it is understandable but why would brotherly islamic Malaysia, a country of the ummah, refuse to play in Pakistan, an Islamic society?
Where is security? Is it in Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, KP or GB? How many criminals the courts punished? When criminals like Hafiz Saeed freely roaming in the streets and provoking sectarian killings, threatening US, Israel & Indian citizens, whom Pak government is fooling. Even our citizens are afraid to go to Masjids for prayers. Every Friday is a nightmare for common people.
@Farid
@pragmatic: I would not like to visit GUJRAT…. Being a muslim it could be very dangerous… As one culd be attacked by a Hindu extremist Organisation… Right pragmatic?
How many time you need to reminded that GUJRAT episode was initiated Muslims and not Hindu extremist Organization.
@pragmatic: I would not like to visit GUJRAT.... Being a muslim it could be very dangerous... As one culd be attacked by a Hindu extremist Organisation... Right pragmatic?
Please play the same add AMAN KI ASHA...They still ahve bitterness in their attitudes...
simply dont understand y india n malaysia agreed at the first place. y ny sane person would want to visit pak in the current circumstances.
Now that the US has put $10 million bounty on hafeez saeed, who seems to think that it was (bounty) was done at the behest of India, it was a wise decision both by Malaysia and India. Likely hood that the LeT may violently attack the visiting teams is very high. It is good for pakistan too as last thing pakistani needs is another hostage crisis on their land carried out by the LeT and his ilk.
Serves Pakistan right . Everytime India invites them they go running they should have the guts to say no to Indias invitation because they have a lot of security problems too,as for Malaysia Pakistan should tell them exactly how they feel being let down by a Muslim nation..
Now everyone will talk about India's pullout and criticize it but no one will talk about Malaysia's pullout because one should not criticize a 'brotherly Muslim country'.
but why Malaysia?...