Pakistan Pledges Equal Footing as India Suspends Bilateral Sports Ties
(MENAFN) Pakistan on Saturday issued a firm response to India’s suspension of bilateral sporting relations, declaring that any future discussions will be conducted on an equal footing, with no more begging for negotiations.
India’s Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry announced Thursday it would no longer engage in bilateral sports events with Pakistan, including matches at neutral venues. However, the ministry confirmed Indian teams and players “will take part in international events that also have teams or players from Pakistan.”
This policy will not disrupt the upcoming Asia Cup, a multi-nation tournament scheduled next month. The much-anticipated Pakistan-India T20 Asia Cup match is set to take place in Dubai on September 14.
“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,” said Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s interior minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, during a press conference in Lahore.
Longstanding political and military tensions continue to cast a shadow over sports and people-to-people interactions between the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbors.
Last year, India refused to participate in Champions Trophy matches hosted by Pakistan, leading to some fixtures being relocated to the UAE.
The two countries also recently clashed in a four-day conflict in May, which concluded with a US-brokered ceasefire.
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