Pakistan Responds to India’s Decision on Sports Relations
(MENAFN) Pakistan issued a strong response on Saturday following India’s decision to suspend bilateral sporting engagements.
Authorities in Islamabad emphasized that any future discussions on the matter must take place on the basis of mutual respect, asserting that they would no longer make appeals for dialogue or compromise on equal treatment.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India announced that it would no longer participate in any bilateral sporting fixtures with Pakistan, even if hosted at neutral venues.
This decision reflects a broader shift in India’s policy toward sports engagement with its neighbor.
Nevertheless, the ministry clarified that Indian teams and athletes “will take part in international events that also have teams or players from Pakistan.”
This indicates that India’s new stance will not affect upcoming multi-nation tournaments such as the Asia Cup.
As a result, the much-anticipated Pakistan-India faceoff scheduled for September 14 in Dubai, as part of the T20 Asia Cup, will proceed as planned. Since the event involves multiple countries, it does not fall under the scope of the new policy.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lahore, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi—who also serves as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board—asserted, “I think we are very clear that whenever talks are held will be on an equal footing with India and there will be no more begging for negotiations. That time has passed and whatever will happen will be on the basis of equality.”
Tensions—both political and military—have historically disrupted not only diplomatic ties but also athletic exchanges and cultural interactions between the two countries.
In a related incident last year, India declined to play its Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan, leading to the relocation of some games to the United Arab Emirates.
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