New Delhi, December 7
Sports Minister Vikram Verma today rejected Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s appeal to India for resumption of cricket ties, but the Ministry of External Affairs declined to react.
MEA spokesman Navtej Sarna, when contacted by The Tribune, declined to make any comment on General Musharraf’s appeal to India to allow its cricket team to play in Pakistan.
Mr Verma, however, said cricket and cross-border terrorism could not go hand-in-hand and the policy formulated jointly by the ministries of External Affairs, Home and Sports clearly forbade the Indian cricket team from playing bilateral series against Pakistan.
He said India could not be expected to send its cricket team to Pakistan when that country was supporting terrorist activities in India.
Mr Verma dismissed General Pervez Musharraf’s assertion that the Pakistani side would not visit India in 2004 if India does not tour Pakistan after the World Cup, next year saying “we have asked them to play in India. We are not bothered if their cricket team does not tour India. They are welcome here if they stop proxy war against India.”
Yesterday in Islamabad, the Pakistan President had said that he would like Indian team to visit his country and entertain the public here.
“I am all for keeping sports and politics separate,” General Musharraf had told visiting International Cricket Council president Malcolm Gray.
