Bilateral series cancellation: Pakistan consider boycotting Junior World Cup

Dejected PHF vows not to send national team to India after u-turn.

KARACHI:

Irked by India’s cancellation of the bilateral series, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has said it will not send the national team next door to play until there is a change in attitude from the neighbouring country.

The PHF secretary Asif Bajwa, who was dejected at the series cancellation, also hinted at a possible withdrawal of the Pakistan team from the Junior World Cup which is to be held in India later this year.

According to details, Hockey India, after being denied permission by its government on security grounds, cancelled the home-and-away series with Pakistan, which was scheduled for next month.

The much-anticipated series, which was expected to revive bilateral ties after seven years, was confirmed earlier this month with PHF releasing the schedule for the series.



Pakistan were supposed to travel to India first from April 5 to 15. India’s return trip was planned from April 23 to May 2 in Karachi, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Lahore.

PHF angry with India move

Meanwhile, the PHF slammed the Indian government’s decision not to permit the India team to tour Pakistan with Bajwa saying politics should not be mixed with sports.

“It’s very disappointing,” said the PHF secretary. “The Indian government’s attitude is damaging for sports.

“They always refuse to fulfill their commitment. This is very sad for sports fans of both countries who want to see both teams in action.

“The PHF has always fulfilled its commitment gracefully but now we’ll have to reconsider our ties with India.

“We will also not send our national team there until they come to Pakistan,” said the PHF secretary before hinting on a possible withdrawal from the Junior World Cup.

“We may pull out from the event. The PHF board and the government will have a final say on this.”

Mixed reaction from Olympians

The series cancellation between the two countries drew mixed reactions from former Olympians.

“The series never looked possible,” Samiullah Khan said. “It wasn’t an appropriate time to finalise the series considering the political situation between the governments.

However, Olympian Khwaja Junaid expressed disappointment on the series cancellation.

“It was a treat for fans for both countries and now they will be deprived of that.

“It’s not appropriate to involve politics in sports.

“The series could have played a vital role in the promotion of the game in both countries which were powerhouses of the game in past.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2013.