December 12, 2002	Thursday	Shawwal 7, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: Pakistan sport, still reeling from the effects of Sept 11, received a fresh blow Wednesday when the International Tennis Federation (ITF) took their Davis Cup home tie against New Zealand away, because of security concerns.

The Feb 7-9 Asia Oceania Group I fixture that was to take place at the Defence Club in Lahore, will now be held in New Zealand with Kiwis having the choice of surface.

The decision prompted the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) to lodge an immediate protest with the ITF terming it as unwarranted and urging the game’s governing body to reconsider the matter.

PTF secretary, Rashid Khan speaking to Dawn said that the change of venue was a big setback. “We had every chance of winning the tie on grass and our preparations were well on track but this decision has turned everything upside down.”

New Zealand were reluctant to play in Pakistan in the wake of the May 8 bomb blast outside a Karachi hotel where their country’s cricketers were staying that killed several people mostly French nationals.

The Kiwis had conveyed their concerns to the ITF which ruled that the next two ties involving New Zealand would be hosted by Pakistan but not the February fixture.

But the PTF said that the international body had violated its own rules by deciding to switch venues. Rashid pointed out that Para 26 (E) of regulations for Davis Cup competition states that the venue could only be changed if the host nation was at war or if there was political unrest in that country.

“We are neither at war and nor is there political unrest of any kind in our country,” Rashid said. “We have informed the ITF about this and told them that Pakistan was a perfectly safe place for sport.”

In this regard, the PTF cited the examples of two top bosses of the International Cricket Council (ICC) visiting Pakistan only last week and that of the Chinese team that played its Davis Cup tie in Peshawar last September without facing any security problems.

Rashid said that the ITF had recently sent them a questionnaire that sought answers on various security aspects. “We assured them of tightest security while informing them the director appointed for the tie was himself a home secretary.”

But such assurances seem to have done little to convince the foreign teams to come down and play in Pakistan. Not even a phone call from President Gen Pervez Musharraf to Prime Minister John Howard could persuade the Australian cricket team to tour this country for a Test series earlier this year. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) then reluctantly agreed to play the series on neutral grounds.

Similarly, the West Indies cricketers earlier had also refused to tour for security reasons that left the PCB fuming but could do little else than to play the “home” series in Sharjah.

With the Kiwis now staying away, doubts also surround the jinxed SAF Games that Islamabad is due to host in March. Having been postponed twice, first because of the events following Sept 11 and then again when border tensions with India heightened, the regional Games all of a sudden seem to be under a fresh cloud.

Meanwhile, Brig Saulat Abbas, head of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Wednesday termed the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) decision of taking next February’s Davis Cup out of Pakistan as “absolutely unwarranted”.

“How long are they going to use the security pretext for not playing here, is it going to go on for 10 years or 15,” he asked. “A political government is in place and there should not be any security concerns. Everything in our country is perfectly normal.”

“New Zealand cricket team were never the target, it was a RAW-instigated attack against the French who were helping Pakistan build submarines.”

“It is unfortunate that countries are using our situation for their own advantage.” And New Zealand would get plenty of that when they play the tie at home on a surface of their liking.

Dilawar Abbas, the president of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) said that it was not just a question of tennis, rather it involved the country’s prestige at the international level. He also called the decision “unwarranted”.

Hameedul Haq, Pakistan’s former Davis Cup player and now among the top coaches in the country, felt that the ITF had done injustice. “If at all the tie had to be moved, it could have been played at a neutral venue.”

“It is a big blow that comes at a time when Pakistan tennis is on the up, we having earned promotion to Group I of the Davis Cup.”

He urged Dilawar Abbas to fight to the last by involving the sports ministry and the Foreign Office in order to persuade the Kiwis to come down to Pakistan.