KARACHI, Feb 16: Key Pakistani Islamic parties on Monday hailed resumption of cricketing ties between Pakistan and India and promised a trouble-free tour aimed at fostering people-to-people contacts.
"We believe there is nothing wrong if the two countries resume sports links, particularly cricket," the main fundamentalist party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), said.
"Our political stand is very clear on Kashmir, but we welcome the Indian team in Pakistan as we have welcomed the Indian parliamentarian and other social groups," JI spokesman Sarfraz Ahmed told AFP. "Pakistanis are peace loving people, they love cricket and will not create any problem for visitors."
India's radical Hindu party Shiv Sena, credited with digging up a pitch at New Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla ground just before India snapped cricketing ties with Pakistan in 1999, on Monday opposed the resumption of the sporting links saying it harmed national security.
"Politics and sports are two different things. We are not even against dialogue with India, " said Sarfraz whose party backs a Kashmiri struggle against Indian rule.
"I don't play cricket and I don't know cricket. Most of our activists were not aware of the game, but if peace between the two countries can come through cricket why not," spokesman for the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Qari Usman said.
The six party Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) which heads the government in the NWFP and provincial cricket association have requested Pakistan Cricket Board not to relocate the Peshawar Test.
"The people of NWFP would be disappointed if the match is not played there," Usman said.
MUMBAI: Indian extremist organization Shiv Sena - a key ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party BJP-led NDA, is still opposing resumption of cricketing ties between India and Pakistan.
"If by resuming cricket ties, relations between two countries can be normalised, what is the need for Army personnel to guard India's border in bunkers irrespective of rain, scorching heat and cold," said a hard-hitting editorial in Shiv Sena mouth piece Saamna.
"It is a new feel-good message of protecting India's borders through the bat and ball," it sarcastically claimed. However, the editorial hastened to add that Sena, which is a part of ruling coalition at the Centre, was not criticising policies or leadership of BJP-led NDA. -Agencies
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