Interior Minister rules out cricket team’s likely tour to India

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Ruling out Pakistan cricket team’s likely tour to India for a bilateral series, Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Monday said he will strongly oppose all kinds of trips to the archrivals in the future.

Speaking to media representatives, he said the Indian government was collaborating with Shiv Sena, the right wing Hindu extremist party, in a series of anti-Pakistan incidents took place recently.

Last month, the Shiv Sena activists stormed the headquarters of Indian cricket board in Mumbai moments before a scheduled meeting with a Pakistani delegation, comprised of PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan and senior executive Najam Sethi.

Meeting was being held to revive cricketing ties between the two countries that included finalising the scheduled bilateral series in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

During today’s media talk, the interior minister said Khursheed Kasuri, Ghulam Ali and Najam Sethi among many Pakistani nationals had recently been humiliated in India.

Declaring Shiv Sena a terrorist organisation, Chaudhry Nisar said the issue will be raised at international level.

“Indian government and Shiv Sena throw black ink at people faces…their own hearts are black.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has prohibited the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of taking any decision regarding the Indian tour without a prior permission from him.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in 2014 that Pakistan would host their next series after India had staged their previous two meetings.

PCB chairman Shahryar Khan, earlier in the day, had said he was still waiting for an explanation as to why the Indian government was opposed to its team playing in UAE but was adamant that Pakistan would not go to India.

"There is no question of playing in India. I’m still awaiting the reason of not playing in UAE," Khan said.

"We went there in 2007 and 2012. This time not again. It is our series and we will play at our home venue which is the UAE.

"What is the problem playing in UAE as they had also played their IPL (Indian Premier League) there as well so why not Pakistan series?"

The BCCI did not immediately respond to the PCB’s comments on Monday.