LAHORE: Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal assured the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday that its team will be provided complete security if it tours India to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Sabharwal, in a meeting with PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf, discussed security measures which will be taken during the upcoming series and said that the series will improve cricket relations between the two countries.
Sabharwal expressed optimism that maximum number of Pakistani fans will be issued visas to visit India to watch the matches. He refused to give a specific number of visas to be issued to the cricket fans but gave firm assurance that maximum number of spectators will be accommodated.
“We are looking into this matter and we will decide this issue on priority basis,” he said.
He praised the efforts of PCB and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for re-starting cricket ties.
The Indian High Commissioner, while answering a question, said that he would take up the matter of granting visas to the Pakistani spectators who will be visiting India to watch the World Cup Kabaddi tournament next month.
Ashraf thanked the Indian High Commissioner for visiting the PCB headquarters and to discuss various aspects of the coming Pak-India series.
“I think the signals from Indian side are very positive as far as issue of giving visas to the Pakistani spectators is concerned,” Ashraf said. He added, “I am confident that this issue will be finalised soon and a good number of Pakistanis will be crossing the border to watch the series.”
The improving ties between the Pakistan and India cricket boards, which resulted in the confirmation of a short series between the archrivals in December, also made the possibility of Pakistan players featuring in the IPL ‘higher than ever’. The last time Pakistan cricketers took part in the IPL was in 2008.
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@Vivek Most people think they are the centre of the universe so countries will definitely feel the same way too!
@wonder why
Yup. We have suddenly realized that Pakistan is the center of the universe, and everything has to go through pakistan.
I think it is fundamental that Pakistan resume playing cricket in India. It is good for the Pakistani players experience and they should ignore thugs like Thackery aka Shiv Sena who want to brainwash Hindustanis that all Pakistanis are bad. Also the Indian Government need to have good relations with Pakistan for their countrymens' business interests and that pipeline that they want to send to Afghanistan which would be easier to go through Pakistan. So it is a good PR exercise for India as well to get the Pakistani cricketers back playing in India.
@Not the Real Manmohan Singh: give it a rest, and let them play, even i'm against issuing visas blindly, even Pakistan would not give away visas blindly. its the same in both countries, the hostility is the same on both sides. Right now, Pakistan is desperate to host international cricket,it is desperate to change it's image and the way it is perceived on the international stage, that's why they are trying to show a more hospitable and welcoming face; put them in a more dominant position,they will behave like everyone else.
Pakistanis should not come to India for the cricket series. Though they are not welcomed and are viewed with suspicion and resentment, they may not return to their "paradise". Sharat Sabharwal should exercise caution while issuing visas.
Sharat Sabharval has the important responsibility of ensuring that Pakistan's Hafeez Saeeds and other "noble" characters do not enter India as "cricket lovers". Usually, I am told, these gun-toting mullah-mob hybrids prefer to come without passports and visas by using the dark of the night!