Regional table tennis championship: Participation in doubt post-Modi remarks

Indian PM made negative statements regarding Pakistan

KARACHI: Pakistan’s participation in the South Asian Table Tennis Cadet and Junior Championship, due to take place in India, is in doubt after the host nation’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi made some discriminatory and anti-Pakistan remarks on his visit to Bangladesh.

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) is yet to decide whether to send the team to New Delhi, where the event is scheduled to be held from June 17-19. According to the PSB, similar incidents in the past have led their neighbours to withdraw their invitation to Pakistani participants.

According to an Inter-Provincial Ministry official, Pakistan have already received an invitation from the Indian Federation for the event two weeks ago. The Pakistan Table Tennis Federation has also set a meeting for June 12 for the selection of the squad for the South Asian Event.

On Sunday, Modi had accused Pakistan of creating “nuisance” and “constantly troubling” India by promoting terrorism during his address at the Bangabandhu International Convention Centre in Dhaka.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th,  2015.

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