Sartaj Aziz rules out possibility of cricket series with India
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ISLAMABAD: National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz on Monday ruled out a potential cricket series against India, saying he saw no chance of a revival of ties between the arch-rivals under “the current situation”.
Aziz's remarks come with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) awaiting a final response from their Indian counterparts on a series due to be played in December-January in United Arab Emirates.
“I see no chance of cricket between Pakistan and India under the current situation,” Aziz told media in Islamabad.
“We need to make (the) situation favourable for cricket and other things. Our board (the PCB) is in contact with Indian officials on cricket so they are in a better position to tell the exact situation but I am not very hopeful,” he added.
Read more: Imagine a world without India-Pakistan Test cricket
India agreed to play six Test series with Pakistan between 2015-2023 after the PCB agreed to reforms to the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport's governing body, last year which gave hefty powers, and revenues, to cricket's big three — India, Australia and England.
But all the series were subject to clearance from the respective governments.
India called off most sporting fixtures between the two countries after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, though they did play a limited-over series in 2012.
Also read: ICC helpless in revival of Pakistan-India series: Zaheer
Relations between the South Asian nuclear rivals are near their lowest ebb, marred by continued violations along their de facto border this year and the cancellation of talks between national security advisers in August.
PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan has said he hopes a meeting with Indian counterparts on the sidelines of an ICC meeting in Dubai this week will settle the matter.
Pakistan and India also stopped playing cricket matches against each other between 1989 and 1999.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (70) Closed
Oct 05, 2015 10:24pm
Confidence building is the need of the day for both countries. Such statements are counterproductive.
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Oct 05, 2015 10:24pm
Just today Indian cricket fans defiled the cricket stadium upon seeing signs of defeat from Australia, no wonder there is no chance of Pak-india cricket series right now. I can only imagine Pakistan in place of australia and there might be Molotov cocktails flying around in stadium..
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Oct 05, 2015 10:25pm
Thanks a lot for ending this drama. Much appreciated.
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Oct 05, 2015 10:35pm
We all should have known at the time of MOU being signed that India have a record of not honoring their agreements. The biggest promise they made in 1948 in the UN and still to date it is a promise. They are not trustworthy people.
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Oct 05, 2015 10:37pm
@Azi - "...in place of australia"...South Africa actually!
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Oct 05, 2015 10:39pm
@Azi I agree completely. But it was South Africa, not Australia. Regardless, Shining India shines through again as crowd trouble errupted again, I think it's not safe for Pakistan Cricketers to tour any place with such heavy security concerns. I advise upcoming team to tour India to do due diligence and take today's encounter very seriously and avoid touring if a little hint of security lapse is present.
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Oct 05, 2015 10:40pm
Shouldn't play with India till they stop sending terrorism to Pakistan. Pakistan have solid proof of Indian involvement in terrorist attacks which killed hundreds of innocent citizens. They have also submitted these in UN and not like Indian just talk without any evidence. World knows now who is doing what.
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Oct 05, 2015 10:49pm
Excellent statement by the national security advisor.
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Oct 05, 2015 10:51pm
My major concern with touring India is rather a Cricketing one. We saw them floored today at home once again, in front of their crowd and at a dead wicket and small ground. If this doesn't prove mediocrity than what is? Pakistan should rather play WI/NZ to improve at T20 than India. We'll be having a T20 series against NZ later this year which must be a good one. Pakistan should play against teams that can help them improve their game, and unfortunately India is not one at the moment.
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Oct 05, 2015 10:53pm
Thank goodness. Finally some sense dawning on our leaders. Pleeeease lets just ignore India and get on with our life.
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Oct 05, 2015 10:55pm
After watching what happened today in Cuttac if it was Pakistan instead of South Africa then Indian players'security was unsure. Cricket board must realise to cricketingfans that win or defeat is a part of game. Few hundred spectator spoiled the match as well as image of India. After IPL indian cricket image has gone down and generally people have started thinking that they play bad to get more money from bookies which is not always true.
It is much better not to take risks of both teams players .Let the dust settles down.
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Oct 05, 2015 10:58pm
Just imagine the reaction of Indian public if they lose to Pakistan. We have not forgotten hockey. Better not to play till Indians settle down a little bit from Modi fever
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Oct 05, 2015 11:03pm
@Azi --Correction - India played bad against South Africa. Some spectators (in upper Balcony) showed the worst temperament. The venue may not get another match in years.
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Oct 05, 2015 11:11pm
@Valar Morgulis : Its not for the quality of cricket or love that the PCB wants India to play. Its for the money.
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Oct 05, 2015 11:17pm
Good, after seeing what the fans did in India today I don't want Pakistani players to get hurt or be in danger!
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Oct 05, 2015 11:18pm
A vast majority of people go to watch cricket and want to watch a good cricket match between India and Pakistan. Protests and unrest in the Cricket Stadiums in India & Pakistan is started by few people who are sent there as instigators. It is easy to tell that these people have the blessing of a particular group that doesn't want normal relationships between these two countries. They politicize the beautiful game of cricket for their own twisted political motives. To me a competitive match of cricket with the sportsman like spirit, can bring a better understandings between two countries and its people. Stop using Cricket as a political tool.
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Oct 05, 2015 11:28pm
As seen today's match against SA, the behaviour of usual Indian crowd, we now have one more reason not to play against India. Overall if you look at history and Facts regarding unruly crowd incidents India has by far the worse
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Oct 05, 2015 11:42pm
@AJ I disagree equally with PCB on it. But if you read the stipulations under which bilateral series was supposed to happen, BCCI still would've made way more money than PCB. Possibly, more than they could've against any other series.
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Oct 05, 2015 11:51pm
More the distance between India/Pakistan it is better for peace in subcontinent.
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Oct 05, 2015 11:53pm
Sartaj Aziz knows this better than Pakistan Cricket Board that situation is very bad right now!!
Thanks for the clarification!!
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Oct 05, 2015 11:57pm
@Zain : Thanks for the clarification and hoping that Pakistani board would not again request or ask BCCI to play with India!!
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Oct 06, 2015 12:10am
Why all this noise in news media about cricket playing with India? Nobody in Pakistan cares about it. Frankly my dear we in Pakistan don't give a damn.
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Oct 06, 2015 12:15am
@Zain You're forgetting Zain, it was our series. India was supposed to play against Pakistan at UAE. How convenient that India always bring these issues up when they have to honor their part of commitment? We are not playing in India, crowd trouble is out of question. But India raised these kind of atmosphere that no cricket can be possible when in realty it's a minor issue.
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Oct 06, 2015 12:36am
@Changez_Khan well said nobody in Pakistan gives a damn playing with India except our Cricket Board. Secondly it's not safe to play in India as the crowd today has been hopeless. Good to see shining India treating guests with bottles and abuses. When they lose start to to cry and throw bottles. Start playing with Ireland first and then compete in Intl matches
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Oct 06, 2015 12:55am
As Pakistanis, we should not be interested in playing with India. We should aim at playing with Australia and South Africa rather than a substandard team whose fans cannot take losses to begin with. It will not help the standard of our players if we played with India.
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Oct 06, 2015 12:59am
99% of the people of both countries does not want to play with each other. Then why there is an attempt from the people who are going to be profited commercially, to proceed with the game?
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Oct 06, 2015 01:02am
All the Pakistani comments on this column is against playing with India. This is very good news as we Indians also agree with it completely. Thank goodness we agree on at least something.
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Oct 06, 2015 01:06am
In my honest opinion, the Indians are afraid that they may lose to Pakistan. They really can't afford to lose to the Pakistani team, cuz they know the fans will crucify them. This is despite the fact that at the moment , spare a couple of players, both teams are pretty evenly balanced with each other (and both are quite weak). But regardless, it's a lot of fun watching pak vs india. Hope for a series, but fingers crossed, it's probably not going to happen. Doesn't matter - there are plenty of other fish to fry .
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Oct 06, 2015 01:18am
Cricket and politics going perfectly in hand and hand
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Oct 06, 2015 01:19am
He said
Our board (the PCB) is in contact with Indian officials on cricket so they are in a better position to tell the exact situation but I am not very hopeful,” he added
so media twisting and making this heading
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Oct 06, 2015 01:57am
Excuse me. Could we please move on. I feel sick when I see any news about pak and India cricket relation. Why can't our politicians and cricketers especially retired ones leave this topic and spend more energies on developing domestic cricket.
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Oct 06, 2015 02:08am
Oh common on ..Please check your facts first. It was Pakistan who first boycott sports because of Politics. Remember the 1980 Olympic..
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Oct 06, 2015 02:08am
Pak politician want cricket with India more than pak fans. Gone are the days when pak fans used to wait for pak India match. After such a blend of politics and cricket we are no more interested in playing cricket with India. It's our humble request to PM, to president and to any other pak politician please stop talking about cricket. Leave it to cricketers and fans. You have got more important things to do.
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Oct 06, 2015 03:00am
Why is this even news that our NSA has to issue a statement?
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Oct 06, 2015 04:09am
Why are we discussing this topic. We should not play with them even if they want.
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Oct 06, 2015 04:20am
Thanks! let's make a wall for at least 10 years and not be party to causing any misery to each other. If after this, we feel that we are/were children of same motherland then may be we can start all over!
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Oct 06, 2015 04:28am
Thanks Sartaj Aziz to show India that we are friend for a friend and foe for a foe.
Pakistan is no weak country and have full strength to defend its nation, and punch anyone who would start a fight.
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Oct 06, 2015 04:59am
@Saleem If says something..one need to really listen! He has brought India down to its knees and next will be USA. Oh, Pakistan's power is too much.
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Oct 06, 2015 05:00am
This will explain to some of my cricketing fans in Pakistan as to why India refuses to play cricket with Pakistan. These are words of well respected Pakistani, Ms. Malala,
"Why are they (Pakistani leadership) silent if terrorism is happening in Swat valley? Why are they silent if girls are denied education or women are flogged on the streets?" she asked.
The good thing about India, she said, was that people don't care about her religion or from where she belongs adding that she's big fan of Bollywood and praised Salman Khan starrer 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' for delivering message of "peace" between India and Pakistan.
"I am very surprised and happy that people in India love me a lot...People stand with me knowing that I am doing a good work. This is what is good about India and I would love to visit India. I would love to see Delhi, Mumbai and other places," she said.
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Oct 06, 2015 05:03am
Fans were frustrated with their teams poor performance and plastic bottles were thrown in frustration. If abuses were hurled, it was aimed at Team India. To suggest SA were in any way threatened by the plastic bottles or target of verbal abuse is childish! Grow up!
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Oct 06, 2015 05:14am
Good. Now rule out trade, commerce, travel, all kinds of visas also...till they concede Kashmir. Keep your powder dry.
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Oct 06, 2015 05:25am
"Pakistan and India also stopped playing cricket matches against each other between
1989 and 1999."
Correction: India stopped playing cricket against Pakistan.
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Oct 06, 2015 05:28am
ind vs pak is just fun for spectators factor..theres no quality cricket in playing..i mean eng vs australia more speed..more runs..more passion..ind pak just like lazy players..its just bcoz of money they play...both cannot defeat australia
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Oct 06, 2015 05:52am
Pakistan should not have any sport related connection with India, also there should be no trade between the two countries till India withdraws all there forces from Kashmir and the citizens of Kashmir under the UN Resolution decide there future.
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Oct 06, 2015 06:19am
NSA is worried about cricket... is that his job? It seems cricket must be very important, and that too, playing with India, otherwise why would he even bring it up. There are others whose job is to worry about that issue, certainly not the NSA's job. It is out of place for him to comment on that.
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Oct 06, 2015 06:22am
Good Riddance, at least Sharyar Khan (PCB) will now stop asking for cricket b/w two nations.
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Oct 06, 2015 06:28am
I would prefer a permanent LOC with a wall like wall of china and we move on with Pak economy.
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Oct 06, 2015 06:29am
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad -remember it is for getting votes to remain in power, think in a broder sense of a Pak economy and growth not the ego.
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Oct 06, 2015 06:29am
@Riz Thank you. By the way, have you seen the evidence?
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Oct 06, 2015 06:32am
Is he really thinking of ramifications?
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Oct 06, 2015 06:32am
@Changez_Khan Then why is Pakistan Cricket Board sending letters to BCCI?
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Oct 06, 2015 06:33am
@Changez_Khan - Its about money, try to understand economics.
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Oct 06, 2015 06:35am
Great now pcb won't have to go to UN to resolve their dispute.
But I am pretty sure this ruins pcb's chances of getting compensated for not playing.
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Oct 06, 2015 06:49am
SA should not talk about cricket, he is security guy not sports. Najam Sethi or IK are better to comment. SA must be forced to retire I thinks and all my Friends in Pak feel the same way. Thanks Sirji.
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Oct 06, 2015 06:53am
@Pakistani tujhe salam looks like you watch more Indian cricket than Pakistan cricket. Thanks for watching
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Oct 06, 2015 06:55am
"Sartaj Aziz on Monday ruled out a potential cricket series against India, saying he saw no chance of a revival of ties between the arch-rivals under “the current situation”."....
Sartaj Aziz knows the insider story of what Pakistan is doing in India. He desperately wanted to get out of the situation of facing Ajit Doval, so he put additional conditions, which he knew India will not accept and will eventually lead to cancellation of NSA meeting.
When Pakistan made it difficult for politicians to meet, how can India allow cricketers to meet. No way !!!!
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Oct 06, 2015 07:13am
Good that India did not agree. pakistan plan could be to earn millions of dollars through this series and donate most of that money to certain groups which everyone is aware of.
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Oct 06, 2015 07:14am
I think all the politicians should replace the players. MIDI is responsible for bringing politics in cricket. These politicians should go on with their business and leave cricket alone.
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Oct 06, 2015 07:36am
Then please please please do not request to play with india..
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Oct 06, 2015 07:40am
@Saleem
I don't think you are following a pattern here. See it stared with PCB chairman, NSA already got involved. Now it will be interior minister, defense minister, PM and COAS who would be issuing statements about India-Pakistan cricket series. Its sheer desperateness. Pakistan never got such an ignorance from India. Well there is first time for everything. From now on, things are just going to tough for Pakistan.
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Oct 06, 2015 08:20am
Thank God......!
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Oct 06, 2015 08:30am
First time I agree with this Sartaj. His comment puts the responsibility of cancelling the series on Pakistan so they can't sue BCCI.
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Oct 06, 2015 09:02am
As an Indian..I welcome Mr Sartaj Aziz's stand and now Pakistan is taking stand and believe me as an Indian it is good for India.I support Pakistani stand and I believe that Pakistan will stood firmly on the decision it has taken and won't change it.
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Oct 06, 2015 09:27am
@Valar Morgulis
Yes, of course, as the world knows India is a vastly more dangerous place than Pakistan for international sports! Do you guys even think before you publish these silly comments? Keep ego aside sometimes and live in the real world.
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Oct 06, 2015 09:29am
@Satt r u really an indian??????just wondering
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Oct 06, 2015 10:26am
@Valar Morgulis "BCCI still would've made way more money than PCB" yes but BCCI will make more money if they play with any country, because biggest sponsors and money investors for cricket are Indian companies.
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Oct 06, 2015 10:48am
Mr. Aziz is out-of-sync with Shaharyar Khan, a career diplomat...
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Oct 06, 2015 12:49pm
Why is Sartaz Aziz making such comments? This is contrary to the belief that sports and politics should not be mixed...
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Oct 06, 2015 04:18pm
@anonymous ...Sartaj Aziz wants to see his name in newspapers everyday...So he makes statements against India, whether it is a relevant issue to NSA or not
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Oct 07, 2015 02:08pm
@Valar Morgulis
Yes bcci would make more money obviously , but it will eventually help PCB as well ..
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