Question mark on India-Pakistan cricketing ties as Jaishankar raises terrorism issue

ANI

New Delhi, December 10

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has given a strong message to cross-border terrorism by dismissing that there will be no cricketing ties between India and Pakistan.

The BCCI lately said that India would not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, 2023; this led to a huge row between the BCCI and PCB.

"Tournaments keep coming and you are aware of the government's stand. Let's see what happens. It is a complicated issue. Will you talk to me if I put a gun on your head? If your neighbour aids terrorism out in the open and there is no mystery about who the leaders are, where the camps are. We should never think that cross-border terrorism is normal. Give me another example where one neighbour is sponsoring terrorism against another. There is no such example. In a way, this is not even abnormal, but exceptional," said Jaishankar at a function.

Earlier this month, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja said Pakistan might consider pulling out of Asia Cup, 2023 if their tournament-hosting rights were withdrawn due to the Indian team not travelling to their country.

In October, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had dismissed the speculation of Team India travelling to Pakistan for the event saying the Asia Cup would be held at a neutral venue.

The last time these two teams played a bilateral series was way back in 2012.

"You know our stand on cricket. We should never accept that a country has the right to sponsor terror. Unless we don't delegitimise this, it will continue. So there should be global pressure on Pakistan. The pressure won’t come unless the victims of terror don't voice themselves. India should, in a way, lead the way because our blood is spilled," said Jaishankar.

Ramiz Raja had also threatened that if India chose to opt out of the Asia Cup then Pakistan would also not travel to India to participate in the ICC ODI World Cup, 2023.