The India-Pakistan hockey series next month has been cancelled after the Indian government refused to give its permission.
India was scheduled to host the Pakistan men’s hockey team from April 5-15 for a five-match Test series across Ranchi, Lucknow, New Delhi, Mohali and Jalandhar, followed by a return tour to Pakistan in May.
The decision was taken by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) after the recent attack on CRPF personnel in Srinagar and the Pakistan Parliament passing a resolution condemning the hanging of Afzal Guru.
“We got a fax from the MEA late on Thursday evening stating that it was not giving permission for the series and asking us not to host the country or visit it for the time being. Protocol demands we seek a no-objection certificate from the Sports Ministry, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the MEA. We had clearances from the first two but not the third,” Hockey India secretary general Narinder Batra said.
Asked if the series might be held later, Mr. Batra said it was unlikely this year given the team’s tight schedule. “The series was supposed to be part of the team’s preparations for the Hockey World League Round 3 in June. But now most likely there will only be an extended camp for the players,” he said. The Pakistan hockey team last toured India in 2006.
India coach Michael Nobbs said the decision was sad for the fans. “They would have got to see some exciting hockey between the two teams, so in that sense it is a disappointing decision. But these are not issues in our control,” he said from Ipoh, where the team is participating in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
This is the second sporting engagement between the two countries to be called off in recent times after government refusal. Last month, an Indian snooker team was refused permission to travel to Pakistan.
Keywords: bilateral hockey series, India-Pak ties, Afzal Guru hanging, fidayeen’ attack on a CRPF camp
The Sports Ministry comes up with various formulae to approve foreign tours from time to time. The comment by Batra his federation had clearances from two ministries (Sports and Home Affairs) and not the third (MEA) suggests that sports federations have to approach three ministries for clearance on a tour like this and those three ministries correspond independently with federation concerned. This is strange, given the fact that the Sports Ministry had always argued for a single-window clearance. One expects Sports Ministry to process a proposal, forward it to the other ministries, if needed, and then give a composite clearance. How come MEA has this time apparently ruled on security in Pakistan instead of Home? When security within Pakistan was questioned in past for our cricket teams, it was a Home Ministry official who visited Pakistan and not an MEA man.
One positive stand for India against terrorism by government.
Government should also take step to stop trade with Pakistan and let Pakistan to think about it.
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