Pak hawks want tour scrapped

ISLAMABAD/MUMBAI, Jan 12: Pressure mounted today in Pakistan to call off the national cricket team's tour of India and the Pakistan Crick...

ISLAMABAD/MUMBAI, Jan 12: Pressure mounted today in Pakistan to call off the national cricket team’s tour of India and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) remained non-committal, still awaiting the report of its emissary, Brig Saeed Rafi, before taking a final decision. On its part, the BCCI agreed to swap the venues of the two Tests. The first Test will now be held in Chennai instead of Delhi.

In Pakistan, hardliners mounted pressure on the government, following persistent threats to the team from Shiv Sena activists, and asked it to scrap the two-Test tour.

Voicing the hardliners’ concern, Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Raja Zafarul Haq opposed the tour, expressing concern over the threats by Sena and asked the government not to clear the visit.

The tour should not be undertaken Haq said and alleged it will result in rise in persecution of Muslims in India. “Our cricket team should not visit India as I apprehend that Hindu extremist organisations would take it as an opportunity to harm Muslims(in India) on one pretext or another,” Haq was quoted as saying by the official APP news agency.

However, Pakistan coach Javed Miandad, who yesterday had expressed his reservations about the tour, today changed tack and came out with his keenness to undertake the visit. “We are ready to play in India if we get the green signal from PCB and government,” Miandad told reporters at the National Stadium at Karachi, where the team is currently undergoing training. He said despite doubts the players were training furiously.

Pakistan captain Wasim Akram expressed his support to the tour the day after the Kotla incident.

However, in New Delhi, Brig Rafi refused to give a green signal to the tour; even though he welcomed assurances from the Indian political leadership., He said he would take a close look at the security situation before giving his report that will determine the fate of the tour.

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Meanwhile, the BCCI today officially announced swapping of the venues of the two-Test series. As per the revisedschedule, the first Test will be held at Chennai from January 28 to February one and the second Test in the two-match series would be conducted at Delhi from February 4 to 8, the BCCI Secretary J Y Lele said late this evening.

Earlier, the Union Home Ministry had asked the BCCI to consider swapping of the venues. The proposal to BCCI was made following a suggestion by Delhi police that the forces would be busy with the Republic Day and connected celebrations and observance of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary on January 30.