New Delhi: Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan are mounting and the latest - according to media reports from across the border - is that Pakistan will pull out of two major sports events to be held in India in the coming months.
According to a report in the Pakistani daily Dawn, a senior sports ministry official confirmed that Pakistan would pull out from the hockey and squash international tournaments to be held in India.
The report states that Pakistan's Sports Ministry has cited security considerations for the pull-out. It may seem like a tit-for-tat move, as the Indian Sports Ministry recently cancelled a scheduled tour to Pakistan.
Dawn quoted Pakstan's Federal Sports Secretary Ashraf Khan as saying that allowing the players to come to India at this point would be 'too risky' given the 'gravity of the situation'.
According to Dawn, Khan said: "Allowing our Squash and Hockey players to leave for India will be too risky at the moment as the gravity of the situation does not allow us to send our sports teams there."
"It's more about the security of the players than defending a title," Khan added when asked that Pakistan Squash Federation has requested for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) so to proceed to India in January and to defend its title.
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