M A I N   N E W S

Pakistan not to play at neutral venue

Islamabad, February 13
Amidst continuing uncertainity over the Indian cricket team’s tour of this country, the Pakistan Cricket Board talked tough today, insisting that it would not play at a neutral venue and would seek compensation if it suffered losses in the event of cancellation of the tour.

PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan, a retired Foreign Secretary, said there was no official word from India about any change in the cricket team’s plans to tour this country from March 11 and that he was hopeful that the tour would go ahead. Should that not happen, it would affect the recent warmth in the bilateral relations between the two countries, he said.

Khan said there has been no official word about any postponement from either the Indian Cricket Board or the government. “We have not got any word but we are prepared to wait. Even dates (for the matches) have been exchanged.”

“We will not accept a third country. The question does not arise,” he said.

Asked whether the PCB would approach the International Cricket Council (ICC) if the tour is postponed, Khan said the PCB has a right under ICC regulations to seek a review of the decision and compensation for the losses. But it did not want such a situation to arise. “Let the two Boards decide or the governments sort it out.”

To a question if the series could be played after the Indian elections, he said Pakistan already has commitments to go to Holland and Canada and also it would be very hot after April.

Maintaining that he personally felt that the tour should go on, the PCB chief, however, made it clear that Pakistan would not play India in a third country. “One thing is for sure that we will not go and play at a neutral venue like we went to Sharjah... the Board is firm on this.”

Khan said Pakistan was taking all possible steps to provide the best security to Indian players and the BCCI team visiting the country to assess the security arrangments today went to Faisalabad and Multan.

He said he would hold talks with the three-member BCCI team on Sunday to discuss issues relating to security, hospitality and ground conditions.

Meanwhile, Islamabad today said sports should be kept away from politics.

“The Indian (BCCI) team has visited various cities and expressed their full satisfaction over arrangements made by Pakistan for the security of Indian players. After this there is no justification to make security an issue,” Pakistan Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat told the official APP news agency.

“Pakistan has always kept politics and sports separate and we expect the same from India,” he said. In order to reinforce the security arrangements and make it foolproof, Hayat said the services of paramilitary units like Frontier Constabulary and Rangers have been acquired and hoped the Indian Government would not disappoint the cricket lovers by cancelling the cricket team’s visit.

The minister said during their meeting with the federal Interior Secretary the Indian officials identified some security concerns but were satisfied by the assurances given to them.

Hayat said India’s tour was not only aimed at restoring cricket relations but also to promote good bilateral ties. “The visit would also have a positive impact on the process of dialogue between the two countries.”

The minister recalled that Pakistan had made “excellent security arrangements” during the tours by South Africa, New Zealand and Bangladesh which were acknowledged by the officials and players of the three countries. — PTI