Asif Mahmood
This time, one thing must be made absolutely clear: if terrorism once again drives silence into Pakistan’s sports arenas, then India’s fields should not remain alive with applause either.
The recent explosion outside Islamabad’s judicial complex has cast a shadow over Pakistan’s ongoing cricket series with Sri Lanka. Reports initially suggested that the Sri Lankan team had requested to return home midway through the tour. However, following assurances from Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the visitors agreed to continue the series.
Minister Naqvi personally met with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner and team management, guaranteeing foolproof security for the players. He reiterated that the protection of all foreign teams is the government’s top priority. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board has reportedly instructed its players to complete the tour, warning that any player who abandons it midway could face a two-year ban.
The second ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi, followed by a tri-nation series involving Zimbabwe. There is hope that the series will proceed as planned, without disruption or fear.
Pakistan has been here before. When the Sri Lankan team was attacked in Lahore in 2009, the tragedy left Pakistan’s cricket grounds deserted for nearly a decade. It took years of effort, diplomacy, and sacrifice to bring international cricket back. Now, once again, terrorism strikes just as the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are echoing with the excitement of international cricket.
The Pakistani government has stated that India is behind this latest act of terror. If that claim is true, and Pakistan’s stadiums are once again deprived of life and cheer, then fairness demands that India too should not host matches in peace.
If sport is being weaponized, then its consequences must not remain confined to one nation alone. The spirit of the game cannot survive selective outrage.
 | ReplyForwardAdd reaction |