August 18, 2007	Saturday	Sha’aban 4, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Aug 17: Pakistan’s hockey chief met the Australian High Commissioner here on Friday to try and reverse Australia’s decision to withdraw from this year’s Men’s Champions Trophy over security fears.

Hockey Australia last month pulled out of the event to be held in Lahore from December 1-9, saying their decision was based on foreign ministry advice against travelling in Pakistan.

Australia, who boycotted the same event in Pakistan in 2004, took the decision following last month’s wave of suicide bombings and other attacks in Pakistan which followed the bloody siege of a pro-Taliban mosque in Islamabad.

“I met the Australian High Commissioner Zorica McCarthy and requested her to convince their hockey team to feature in the Champions Trophy and she has promised to pass the request to the concerned authorities,” Pakistan Hockey Federation president Zafarullah Jamali told reporters.

Pakistan objected strongly to Australia’s pull-out and registered their protest to the game’s governing body, the International Hockey Federation (FIH), saying the Olympic champions’ no-show would undermine the elite six-nation event.

Jamali, a former prime minister of Pakistan, said Pakistan would not tour Australia in future if the Kookaburras failed to reconsider.

“We hope they change their decision and if they don’t we reserve our right not to tour Australia,” said Jamali. Spain has also expressed concerns over security, but will participate, he said.

Besides the hosts, the Netherlands, South Korea, Germany and Spain are the competing teams with England likely to replace Australia.

Jamali said the FIH has assured the Pakistan hockey authorities the event will not be moved from Pakistan.

“FIH has recently assured us that the event will not be shifted and we hope it will be a safe and secure tournament because hockey is so popular in this part of the world.”Neighbouring India has already offered to host the event should it be relocated.

Despite the Champions Trophy withdrawal, Australia’s A team and an under-19 side will visit Pakistan in September and October respectively.

The junior tours will pave the way for an Australian senior team’s visit to Pakistan in March next year -- their first visit to the country in ten years.

Australia’s cricket team refused to tour Pakistan over security fears in 2002 following 9/11 and their series was played on neutral venues in Sri Lanka and Sharjah.—AFP