India to resume cricket ties with Pakistan

SHASH2K2

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Continuing with the cricket diplomacy which was launched recently in Mohali when India and Pakistani cricket teams met for ICC World Cup semifinal clash, India has decided in principle to resume cricket ties with Pakistan.

Sources in the government said that India would most likely send its cricket team first to Pakistan and then Pakistani team could tour India. "As the current season is all full and packed, it is for the BCCI to find a schedule that will suit both the countries. People in both the countries are passionate about cricket, the game is popular and evokes great interest among public, so cricket ties can be resumed," the sources said.

International cricket has eluded Pakistan since March 2009 when gunmen attacked Sri Lankan team and six policemen and a van driver were killed. Cricket ties between the two countries were severed in the wake of November 2008 terror attack in Mumbai.

Asked if resumption of cricket ties with Pakistan would lead to overall improvement in security situation and address India's concern on encouragement of terror activities from across the border, the sources said that these were things which could not be lost sight of. "There are still terror training camps across the border, infiltration is still on but these things cannot be lost sight of. We will have meetings between Commerce and Defence Secretaries of the two countries, trade ties will also improve in near future and these will produce a positive result. However, intentions have to match with the improvement on the ground," the sources said.
 

nrj

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Yeah, why not.

Let Pawar & company make some more money.
 

SHASH2K2

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[video]http://www.timesnow.tv/videoshow/4370311.cms[/video]
 

Bangalorean

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Bullshit man, we shouldn't do this. Very very bad move. I hope the Indian team boycotts any tour of Pakistan!
 

Oracle

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If Cricket can break the ice, why not? IMO, not a bad move. India have always held out the hand of friendship but was stabbed in the back, that every time. Let's try out once more, maybe this time things might just work out. I have my doubts though.
 

Energon

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I was under the impression that nobody was sending teams to Pakistan because of the security issue.
 

Phenom

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Yeah, why not.

Let Pawar & company make some more money.
No,
This seems to be a initiative from the govt, most likely the extension of 'cricket diplomacy' by MMS.

BCCI actually seems to uninterested saying that the cricketing calender is already full.

I hope atleast they won't send the team to Pakistan, instead play in some neutral venue.
 

arshi

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as long as issues of kashmir & terrorism remain unsolved our efforts to mk a frndly neighborhood would b in trouble..!
 

maomao

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Ohhhhh man......soon we can expect MMS and anti national CONgress stooges suggesting something as weird as sharing resources, land and human element equally with pappistan (from kashmir Valley)......How low this GOI can bend to get bambooed is anybody's guess.....very sad to allow our team to play in terroristan!
 
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nrj

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No,
This seems to be a initiative from the govt, most likely the extension of 'cricket diplomacy' by MMS.

BCCI actually seems to uninterested saying that the cricketing calender is already full.

I hope atleast they won't send the team to Pakistan, instead play in some neutral venue.
Eitherways, Pawar makes money.

Punched calenders are good but it doesn't mean BBCI is not interested. They are not allowed to else, they would field 2 national teams making them play all 365 days.

Pawar is running the entire circus from ICC to marketing agencies, sponsors, broadcasters, insurance & even betting. Not to forget, his words are heavier in inner GOI circle.
 

sandeepdg

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Eitherways, Pawar makes money.

Punched calenders are good but it doesn't mean BBCI is not interested. They are not allowed to else, they would field 2 national teams making them play all 365 days.

Pawar is running the entire circus from ICC to marketing agencies, sponsors, broadcasters, insurance & even betting. Not to forget, his words are heavier in inner GOI circle.
Yeah, and someone on this forum was very concerned that Pawar had to step down from the GOM of anti-corruption because of Anna Hazare's comment on him being corrupt !!

But sending the cricket team to Pakistan is nothing short of suicidal ! Have these people forgot what happened to Sri Lankan team in 2009 ! If the Indian team is there, the psychopaths will make sure that another rerun of such an attack is as devastating as possible.
 

nrj

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So let me ask a question,
Who will be accountable if in any case Indian Team or Team member is attacked during Pakistan tour?

Options:

ICC ?
BCCI ?
GOP ?
GOI ?
PCB ?
PM/Prez ?
 
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chex3009

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If we both (India-Pakistan) believe that cricket is going to solve any problems or provide a feel-good factor, then let the PoK be made a cricket land where atleast 5 different international stadiums are made and all India-Pak games are played there.

No visa, no documents just pure cricket tickets......


Put this suggestion forward to the pakistanis and see their reactions, would they play cricket then???????
 

mayfair

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Congress wills sell the country to the highest bidder if they can. Pusillanimous twats.
 

ejazr

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I would rather GoI and BCCI improved ties with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Parthasarathy had an excellent article in The Hindu about how GoI has missed an opportunity to strengthen ties with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka instead of focusing on Pakistan. Engagement should be there with Pakistan, but don't lose the big picture and focus only one country. Build up relationships with other countries which WANT to normalize and improve relations with you.


Don't play ball only with Pakistan
India gave World Cup co-hosts Bangladesh and Sri Lanka the cold shoulder, while not realising that cricket diplomacy cannot ever be an answer to its troubles with Pakistan.
April 14, 2011:

India's neighbours — Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives — legitimately complain that they are ignored and SAARC Summits reduced to a farce, as such gatherings turn into India-Pakistan soap operas.

They rightly claim that Indian political leaders, officials and media ignore the achievements in fostering South Asian togetherness, and behave as though all that matters is the bilateral meeting between the leaders of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of SAARC meetings.

This obsession with Pakistan was on display during the 2011 cricket World Cup. The World Cup was scheduled to be hosted in South Asia by Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Engulfed by terrorist violence, Pakistan was ruled out as a host, by the International Cricket Council. The tournament was, therefore, hosted by Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.
CO-HOSTS IGNORED

Instead of using the occasion to foster solidarity between the three hosts, our leaders showed deplorable insensitivity in dealing with co-hosts Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The World Cup was inaugurated in Dhaka on February 19, by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed. It was the largest international event Bangladesh had hosted, since its bloody war of independence 40 years ago.

Sheikh Hasina is unquestionably one of the friendliest leaders in our neighbourhood. She has extended a hand of friendship to us, proclaimed her country a secular republic, clamped down on extremist groups and handed over separatist leaders from our North-East who were hosted by her predecessor.

The World Cup inauguration was an ideal event for India to show its solidarity with Bangladesh. Our Prime Minister could have shared the dais with Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka. Astonishingly, New Delhi did not even send a high-level goodwill delegation. A similar indifference and lack of imagination was shown towards Sri Lanka, where cricketing legend Muthiah Muralitharan, whose contribution to the cricketing glory of his country was personally lauded by President Rajapakse, was playing his last World Cup. If Team India fought for the coveted World Cup for Sachin Tendulkar, the Sri Lankans did so for "Murali," as he is fondly known.

Most importantly, Murali, a Tamil, is symbol of how Tamils and Sinhalas can live together in a pluralistic Sri Lanka. An Indian Prime Minister lauding Murali in Colombo would have reinforced and driven home this message.

A Prime Minister, who is totally focused on and some would say obsessed, with Pakistan, could obviously not entertain such thoughts. It is tragic that our diplomatic establishment and politicians could not look beyond their noses, on neighbourhood diplomacy.

Many years ago, Mir Khalilur Rehman, the founder of the Jang newspaper remarked to me during the course of an India Pakistan cricket test match in Karachi: "The problem with my countrymen is that they treat the cricket field like a battlefield and a battlefield like a cricket field."

The Mohali World Cup semi-final pitting India against Pakistan was touted as the harbinger of goodwill. But, what was the reaction across the border, when Pakistan, a remarkably talented, but mercurial side, crashed to defeat?

Much has been said about Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi's comment: "Indians will never have hearts like Muslims and Pakistanis. I do not think they have the large and clean hearts Allah has given us." Compare this with the gracious comments of Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara: "We didn't take enough wickets and in the end the best team won. Yes we are a bit sore that we lost. It will take a while to get over that feeling. That's cricket."

It has been argued that one should not take the comments of Shahid Afridi seriously. But anyone familiar with the media coverage in Pakistan would recognise that not merely the traditionally hostile Urdu press, but also mainstream English newspapers were severely and even irrationally critical of India. Even a normally restrained person like Air Marshal Shahzad Chaudhry, who was Director of Pakistan's Strategic (Nuclear) Command Authority, commenced his article debunking Sachin Tendulkar's batting capabilities. He averred: "And yet this God of cricket was all at sea against Saeed Ajmal. He could not read Ajmal's Doosra." Chaudhry made the astonishing accusation that it was as a result of the tampering of the Hawkeye software by Indian IT experts that Tendulkar was not given out LBW.

The misplaced belief that "cricket diplomacy" would bring people in India and Pakistan together, goes to show that South Block has no understanding of how Pakistanis think about cricket.

BEYOND GIMMICKS

No one objects to a serious dialogue, which promotes people-to- people contacts, enhances mutual confidence and ends terrorism. As a first step we should unilaterally revoke the ludicrous visa restrictions we have imposed on visits by foreign academics, students and other visitors in the aftermath of the 26/11 attack.

The invitation to Prime Minister Gilani pleased the Americans. But is pleasing the Americans the main criterion for determining our policies and priorities in our neighbourhood? The internal turmoil in Pakistan and its problems in Afghanistan call for serious diplomacy, and not gimmicks, grandiose gestures, or summits without meticulous preparatory work.

(The author is a former High Commissioner to Pakistan.)
 

SHASH2K2

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BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Tuesday said that it was not possible for India, Pakistan to resolve its conflict through "cricket ciplomacy" provided Pakistan makes sincere efforts. He said the visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuaf Raza Gilani to watch Indo-Pak match at Mohali on March 30 had "cricket diplomacy" in play which sans improvement of friendly ties. Interacting with media persons, expressing his doubts he said, " I do not feel the visit of Gilani to watch the World Cup semi-final match between two countries would bring much of a change, unless Pakistan has this sensitivity from within, until then such events have no meaning. The welcome and meetings are not great occasions to promote goodwill gesture."
The strengthening of the ties was only possible once Pakistan comes clear on the improvement of the ties with seriousness, he reiterated.
"Although, Pakistan needs to come out clear on its stand, however it is yet to decide on who has the last say, as Pakistan Army is overriding most of the decisions of the Government", he said.
Joshi was here to preside over an inauguration of a two day long National seminar on Relevance of thoughts of Deen Dayal Upadhaya in present scenario, organized by Himachal Pradesh University..
Also a Chairman of Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), Murli Manohar Joshi denied that JPC set up to probe the 2G Spectrum scam has right to summon any minter and even Prime Minister.
He said "JPC has some terms of reference on which it was working and it would also have to follow the same procedure as other committees are following."
As far as Public Accounts Committee is concerned it was a constitutional body, Supreme Court is investigating, Justice Patil has investigated, CBI is conducting investigations and other enforcement agencies are at work, he informed
Talking about the exploitation of rivers in the state for setting up Hydel Power projects, a supporter for projects on the run of the river he said, "Plans for the projects should be developed and set up keeping in mind the ecology, geographical terrain of the country rather than aping the West who are already disturbed by these projects."
Replying to the question on bringing back the "Black Money" stashed in banks abroad, he expressed dissatisfaction on the attitude of the UPA Government.
He charged the Government for being careless despite being rapped by Supreme Court and now circumstances are such that public wants to know the true facts and those involved.
He alleged Government was trying to protect those in proximity and is also for failing in having concrete evidences.
If names had been given to the Government as stated by former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani and others the Government should come out in open without any hesitation, he added.
 

thakur_ritesh

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So let me ask a question,
Who will be accountable if in any case Indian Team or Team member is attacked during Pakistan tour?

Options:

ICC ?
BCCI ?
GOP ?
GOI ?
PCB ?
PM/Prez ?
PM MMS, personally should be held responsible if any such attack happens on the indian team. as usual our politicians and in this case the congress and our PM our using these talks and cricket with pakistan as an opportunity to deflect the growing criticism on the functioning of the UPA on the domestic front which today is riddled with one failure after another and one scandal after another.

add to the list of PM/congress, the USA, the main people who are holding the strings, and as per their wimps and fancies the puppets dance, and it seems the ruling government and the PM in particular are too happy and accommodative in adjusting to all the demands of the americans.

I would rather GoI and BCCI improved ties with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Parthasarathy had an excellent article in The Hindu about how GoI has missed an opportunity to strengthen ties with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka instead of focusing on Pakistan. Engagement should be there with Pakistan, but don't lose the big picture and focus only one country. Build up relationships with other countries which WANT to normalize and improve relations with you.
precisely, we have a golden opportunity to sort out our differences with BD in particular and they better do it when sheik hasina is around so that when she goes back to polls she has a lot to show to her vote bank which could possibly become the reason for her re-election.

our foreign policy is too pakistan centric, just the way our domestic terror policy is pointlessly too kashmir centric, cant we just treat pakistan as just another country or is it that every other PM of our country aims to win a nobel peace prize!

and what will be the result in the end, these talks will again be held hostage by the pakistan establishment and indian team will then run around with an embarrassed face giving bites to the media that the talks got hijacked yet again, and if they at all want to talk to pakistan and have productive talks, just directly initiate the discussions with the pak army and the isi, the main obstacles in the implementation of the final decision.
 

Parthy

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India plans peace and cricket with Pak, despite Rana's revelations

In a fresh friendly gesture to Pakistan, India has decided to resume the bilateral cricket series which was put on hold in retaliation against the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai.

The decision was announced by foreign minister SM Krishna here on Wednesday, strengthening the growing estimate, including in the country's security establishment, that Pakistan may have been fully reprieved over 26/11.

Notably, the announcement came just after the disclosure that Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani expatriate who along with David Coleman Headley did the recce for the mass slaughter in Mumbai, had told a US court that he was acting at the instance of the Pakistani government and ISI.

Questioned about Rana's admission, Krishna said, "Peace talks will go on, cricket matches will go on and simultaneously, our relentless efforts will continue to bring to justice all those responsible for the heinous crime against India in Mumbai."

The foreign minister said India would take up Rana's statements with the Pakistani government. "There are no contradictions in that position," he said when asked whether the revelations made by Rana would have an impact on India-Pakistan peace talks. "I have said that both these things will have to go on... Just look at the Sharm el-Shaikh declaration," he said.

Pakistan has been shunned by cricket nations and has not received any team since March 2009 when the visiting Sri Lankan team was attacked by terrorists. Pakistan's moves for the resumption of ties had so far not been successful. Besides the anger over 26/11 and suspicions about Islamabad's intent to bring the masterminds to book, Team India's concerns for their safety also came in the way.

The situation has changed dramatically since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to resume the bilateral dialogue at Thimphu, de-linking the process with India's grievance against Pakistan's unhelpful attitude over 26/11.

The push for normalization of ties gathered momentum after Singh's talks with his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani at Mohali. As a matter of fact, the first indication of India's readiness to restore cricketing ties came from foreign secretary Nirupama Rao. In an interview she gave after the talks at Mohali, Rao said India was open to the idea of sending M S Dhoni and his mates to Pakistan.

For all the keenness of the government, resumption of the Indo-Pak series is not likely till March next year because of the busy cricketing calendar. That apart, any plan to send the Indian team across will also have to contend with the reservations of Indian players who don't consider Pakistan to be a safe venue. As a matter of fact, the Sri Lankan squad that came precariously close to being wiped out had gone to Pakistan after the Indian team pulled out because of security concerns.

Nothing illustrated the shift in government's stand better than Krishna's invoking the Sharm el-Sheikh statement.

It's the first time the UPA government has invoked the 2009 joint statement signed by PM Manmohan Singh which was criticized in India to the extent that the government had to walk back from it. Singh was isolated within his own party and Parliament for the politically damaging reference to Balochistan, also part of the same joint statement. The foreign minister's reference to the declaration underlined government's willingness to delink dialogue and terrorism. "We are in constant touch with the Pakistan government through our diplomatic channels," Krishna said in response to questions.

In fact, India has not been able to maintain a steady policy on Pakistan. A year after the 2006 Mumbai blasts, India was back to talking with Pakistan. After its 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament and the year-long Operation Parakram, the earlier Vajpayee government was busy holding a summit in Islamabad to restart the composite dialogue process. In fact, when the next terror attack happens, which most security experts believe is inevitable, the government can claim a tough reprisal by merely cutting off all talks.

The 26/11 trial has not taken off within Pakistan. During last month's home secretaries' talks, Pakistan only agreed in principle to allow Indian officials to talk to the accused in Pakistan. No dates, or modalities have been agreed to by Pakistan. And in Lahore, Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed on Tuesday, trashed cricket diplomacy and reasserted jihad against India.

Saeed continues to roam freely in Pakistan, making anti-India tirades, even as Pentagon's Pacific Commander Gen Willard said LeT had become a global phenomenon. In a testimony to the US Congress, he said, "It has historically been focused on the Kashmir region, particularly in order to conduct attacks inside India. And it was responsible for the attack in Mumbai that we're all very familiar with," he said. "Unquestionably, they have spread their influence internationally, and they are no longer solely focused in South Asia and on India, although that continues to be their main training ground, and India continues to be their main target."

On Tuesday, Saeed made a rare public appearance in Islamabad -- and trashed Indo-Pak cricket diplomacy while vowing for a "jihad" in J&K.

"The stand taken by the Pakistan government for friendship with India is not acceptable to the Pakistani people under any circumstances," said Saeed.



http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ite-Ranas-revelations/articleshow/7976955.cms
 

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