Pakistan not to send parliamentarians
Cable operators to block telecast of IPL matches
Pakistan will give a fitting reply, says Sports Minister
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has decided not to send parliamentarians for the golden jubilee celebrations of India’s Election Commission and cable operators have declared they will pull the plug on any telecasts of Indian Premier League matches.
Weeks ago, the participation of the Indian boxing team in a tournament in Karachi was hailed as a positive development for ties between the two countries. It was the first visit by an Indian sporting team after the cancellation of an Indian cricket tour in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks.
But the snub to Pakistani cricketers at the Indian Premier League auction has caused another setback with widening repercussions. Even though the Pakistan government has acted with restraint by not jumping into the controversy, individual ministers have commented strongly against Pakistani players failing to find a place in any of the IPL teams.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said cricket was a way of doing diplomacy and India should send a delegation to apologise to the Pakistani players and invite them to play in the matches. He said it showed India was “not serious” about pursuing peace with Pakistan.
Sports Minister Ejaz Jakhrani also condemned the exclusion of the Pakistani players and said Pakistan would give a “fitting” reply.
Cricketing hero-turned-politician Imran Khan and another Pakistani cricketing great, Zaheer Abbas, said Pakistan should reserve the right to boycott the 2011 World Cup cricket matches at Indian venues in retaliation.
The Cable Operators Association of Pakistan said at a press conference that they would block any local or international channel that telecasts IPL matches, a decision that will hit Geo TV’s sports channel, which has paid for exclusive rights to show the matches in Pakistan.
At a press conference in Lahore, Captain Jabbar Ahmed Khan, the president of the association said the decision had been taken to express solidarity with the players.
The National Assembly has pulled parliamentarians from a delegation which is to travel to India for the Election Commission’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Two parliamentarians were in the delegation.
The rest of the delegates, including Pakistan’s Chief Election Commissioner, will go ahead with the visit, Farahnaz Ispahani, media adviser to President Asif Ali Zardari said.
Speaker Fehmida Mirza’s announcement that the parliamentarians will not go followed a long speech in the National Assembly by the leader of the Opposition, Chaudhary Nisar Ahmed of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), who said the party was withdrawing its delegate, Ayaz Amir, in protest against the manner in which the Pakistani players had been treated at the IPL auction.
Mr. Ahmed also said his party would not join any other delegation visiting India until
“India changes its attitude.” He demanded a ban on all sporting ties with India and also a complete ban on Indian films. He accused the government of trying to appease India.
Jamshed Dasti, head of a parliamentary committee on sports said he would move a resolution in the National Assembly against the IPL.
LINCOLN: Pak U-19 Qualify For Cricket WC U-19 Final, Pakistan youth team beat West Indies by four wickets in the first semifinal of the Under-19 World Cup on Monday. Pakistan under-19 team completed the chase with loss of six wickets at Bert Stucliffe Oval in Lincoln. Pakistan won the toss and elected to field in the first semifinal of the youth world cup. KC Brathwaite scored 85 and SD Bowrich 55 for West Indies to set a competitive target of 212 runs. Hammad Azam 92 remains unbeaten and he does it again for Pakistan. He came in under pressure and played sensibly to get Pakistan over the line. Rameez Aziz 39, Mohammed Waqas 29 and Ahsan Ali 28 added useful contributions in Pakistan total to reach the victory target. 
