ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister and President Pakistan Sports Board Riaz Pirzada on Sunday invited Indian parliamentarians to play sports with Pakistani counterparts by shunning politics of war, ARY News reported.
“I invite Indian parliament members to play cricket and rugby with Pakistani parliament members,” he said while talking to media.
He said Pakistan had fine players in National Assembly and Senate like Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Pakistan Peoples Party leader Aitzaz Ahsan.
To a query that how would be captain of Pakistan side, the federal minister said captain of sports team would be Imran Khan while if wrestling was held then Nawaz would be the captain.
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This should be noted that bilateral cricket between both the countries have had been on hold for over three years, plus BCCI chief Anurag Thakur, who is also a member of Bahratya Janta Party, a Hindu extremist ruling party, has categorically ruled out any prospect of cricket match between the arch rivals in foreseeable future.
“There is no question of India-Pakistan cricket post-Uri attack,” he said.
Pakistan and India had signed a Memorandum of Understanding last year, according to which they were supposed to play several series home and away, in India and Pakistan. Even neutral venue of UAE also came under discussion.
However, after Pathankot Attack in early 2016 all this issue was put on backburner. Amid growing tension between both the countries Pakistan was also cautious about playing T20 World Cup in India this year, however after security assurance from India the national team gave go-ahead.
There were suggestions of a Test match series between the top two Test teams.
Some Indian officials have also called to stop former Pakistan cricketers from working in India as experts and commentators.
Uri attack in India, which came in reaction of India’s continuous atrocities in Kashmir, has further deteriorated the situation. India has blamed Pakistan for the Uri attack to divert attention of the world from inhuman treatment with civilians in Kashmir.
