February 03, 2009	Tuesday	Safar 07, 1430

ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Pakistan barred its cricketers on Monday from travelling to India and playing in the Indian Premier League tournament. The decision has been taken because of security concerns.

Five Pakistani cricketers —Yasir Hameed, Yasir Arafat, Asim Kamal, Danish Kaneria and Mohammad Hafeez — were to attend the IPL auction of players for the second season in Goa on Feb 10.

The government has earlier stopped hockey and squash teams from going to India for the same reason.

Sports Minister Pir Aftab Shah Jilani said that the decision had been taken on the advice of the Foreign Office that because of tensions between the two countries in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks the situation was not conducive for the players to go to India.

The minister said that at present there were anti-Pakistan sentiments in India and some Pakistani TV and theatre artistes had recently been harassed. “This leaves us with no other option but to stop our players from travelling to India.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board had sought sports ministry’s advice and “we (sports minis-try) have informed the board about our decision,” Mr Jilani said.

Last year, 11 Pakistani cricketers had played in the IPL.

When asked about the possibility of resumption of sporting ties with India, the minister said: “We tried our best to cool the tempers through sports, but it is India which opted to block this path by first barring its junior hockey team and then cricket team from travelling to Pakistan.”

He said Indian should be blamed for the suspension of sporting ties.