Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Ehsanur Rehman Mazari on Sunday expressed his concerns about the lack of cricket between Pakistan and India, citing politics as the primary hurdle.
In an interview with a local news outlet, Mazari, therefore, called for the resumption of cricketing ties between the arch-rivals and suggested that the two nations could engage in "cricket diplomacy" to achieve this goal.
He drew attention to India's baseball team's recent visit to Pakistan and questioned why the Indian cricket team remained hesitant to play with Pakistan.
He emphasised that sports should not be viewed through a political lens and said that cricketing relations between the two countries have suffered due to political issues.
The PPP leader highlighted the successful running of HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the country, with foreign players participating in the league, as evidence that the security situation in Pakistan is not a concern for international players.
Mazari further commented on the issue of player selection and alleged that some players who were not fit to play had been included in the team due to connections.
He also criticised the Pakistan Olympics Association Chairman General (retd) Arif Hassan, who has held the post for the past 20 years, saying that he had framed the constitution in such a way that he remained the only chairman.
Mazari also spoke about football's popularity in Karachi's Lyari and Balochistan's Quetta and shared that the Argentinian ambassador had expressed an interest in training female football players in the country.
The PPP leader believed that football could play a vital role in promoting peace and friendship between Pakistan and its neighbors.
It is worth mentioning here that the government's permission for the national cricket team's participation in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India remains pending, and the government is reportedly waiting for India's response regarding their participation in the six-team Asia Cup, which Pakistan is scheduled to host in September.
Mazari urged the government to prioritise cricket and take steps to facilitate the national team's participation in international events.
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