Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday criticised the Indian government for politicising cricket amid a growing controversy following the recent Pakistan-India match in the Asia Cup 2025.
Speaking at the launch of the publication 'Strategic Reckoning: Perspectives on Deterrence and Escalation Post-Pahalgam – May 2025' in Islamabad, he called out the Modi-led government of using cricket as a political tool.
“The Modi regime was trying to politicise the sport of cricket but that was just a failed attempt in saving oneself from embarrassment,” he said. He also cited Pakistan’s military response to recent escalations as a display of its defence capabilities.
“Pakistan proved its military dominance by shooting down six planes in defence and then responded to Indian aggression, compelling it to request for a ceasefire,” he claimed. The minister added that such theatrics on the sports field were typical of regimes that were morally compromised.
Read More: ICC rejects PCB’s complaint against Pycroft amid handshake row
“A nation which is morally bankrupt and has no values will always resort to this kind of theatrics on the sports field when it is unable to win in the military field,” Tarar said.
Referring to India’s silence on the Jaffar Express hijacking — described as one of the worst such incidents in recent memory — Tarar contrasted Pakistan’s consistent stance on terrorism with what he described as New Delhi’s selective condemnation.
“Being the victims of terrorism, Pakistan expressed concern over the Pahalgam incident. But on the contrary, New Delhi was reluctant to even condemn the Jaffar Express attack,” he noted.
Reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace, he said “Pakistan has always been desirous of peace, but whenever put to test, thanks to our valiant armed forces, we've passed with flying colours.” He emphasised that Pakistan would continue to play the role of both a “deterrent” and a “balancer” in the region.
Also Read: Saqib wins cross-border praise at Bitcoin Asia Conference
The controversy emerged after reports that match referee Andy Pycroft had instructed both captains not to shake hands before Sunday’s high-stakes encounter. The move initially went unnoticed but drew attention after Indian players left the field without engaging in the customary post-match handshake.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav further escalated tensions with political remarks after the match, stating: “We stand with the victims of the Pahalgam attack and their families. We dedicate today’s win to our armed forces.”
In protest, Pakistan captain Salman Agha declined to attend the post-match presentation hosted by former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, reportedly in response to India’s refusal to participate in the handshake.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ