FM Qureshi vows to raise England's tour cancellation issue with UK counterpart

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is in the United Kingdom on a three-day official visit, said that he will discuss the ECB’s decision to cancel tours of its men’s and women’s cricket teams to Pakistan with the UK counterpart tomorrow (Tuesday), ARY News reported.

Speaking exclusively with ARY News, the foreign minister said that he will meet British counterpart Liz Truss on Tuesday to discuss England’s tour cancellation, Afghanistan issue and other matters.

“I will meet with the UK counterpart tomorrow and convey him reservations of Pakistan over the cancellation of England’s tour to Pakistan,” he said while talking with ARY News.

Sources earlier said that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)’s withdrawal from the men and women teams’ tour of Pakistan has made UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other senior officials unhappy.

According to publication ‘The Times’, the Prime Minister and senior officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office believe that the decision, which was made on player welfare grounds rather than issues of security by the ECB, has damaged relations between the UK and Pakistan government.

It must be noted that England had to play two T20Is at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on 13 and 14 October.