After a long time, India have issued visas to Pakistan’s junior wrestling team, allowing it to take part in the Asian Junior Championship being held in New Delhi next week. Earlier, the Indian High Commission had also issued visas to Pakistan’s squash team that is set to take part in the World Junior Squash Championships being held in Chennai from July 17 to 29.

Six out of the seven members of the wrestling squad were issued visas. Only Haroon Abid, a nephew of former great wrestler Zubair alias Jhaara, failed to get a visa. Abid is currently in Japan honing his skills at the Antonio Inoki Club, run by the world famous wrestler the club was named after.

Besides six wrestlers, two officials are also set to travel to India for the tournament.

The strained political relations between the two neighbouring countries have also affected sports ties, which in the past had brought people of the two countries closer. Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Japan and Mongolia are also participating in the event.

Last week, a pitch of the LCCA ground was dug up by some unidentified people on the eve of the PCB inter-district championships. Two teams of the East Zone, affiliated with the Lahore Region Cricket Association, were set to face each other in a match, but overnight some people entered the ground, taking advantage of insufficient security arrangements, and dug up the pitch.

They succeeded to delay the match till the afternoon when a new pitch was prepared. No inquiry was initiated by the LCCA.

Earlier, in a domestic match, players of a visiting team had lost their precious belongings from the pavilion. The LCCA authorities should prove themselves to be responsible, as this was the second biggest body in the country.

In the past, similar incidents have been reported, but the LCCA authorities could not take suitable measures. An official of the LCCA, however, told Dawn that a security guard was deputed but he could have left his position late at night, which allowed unidentified people to enter the stadium.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2018