India Says No Issue With Pakistan Playing in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
India has indicated that there would be no issue with Pakistan participating in the upcoming Asian Hockey Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in India.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Pakistan’s participation in the tournament would not create any problem, as the event is a multi-nation competition involving six teams.
Bhagwant Mann Comments on Pakistan’s Participation
Bhagwant Mann said the Pakistan-India match is part of the scheduled tournament and that India’s policy allows teams to participate in multinational sporting events.
His comments come ahead of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy, where Pakistan and India are among the six participating teams.
Hockey India Highlights Positive Relations
Meanwhile, Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh said relations between Hockey India and the Pakistan Hockey Federation remain positive.
He said that whenever India and Pakistan play against each other, he makes it a point to meet members of the Pakistan team after the match.
The remarks indicate that sporting relations between the two hockey federations remain cordial despite broader tensions between the two countries.
Asian Champions Trophy Schedule
The tournament is scheduled to feature Pakistan, India, China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea.
The Asian Hockey Champions Trophy will be played from October 27 to November 5, with matches scheduled to take place in Jalandhar and Mohali.
Reports also indicate that Oman and Bangladesh have been kept as reserve teams in case any participating team withdraws from the competition.
Pakistan Yet to Make Final Decision
Pakistan has not announced any decision to withdraw from the tournament.
Sources said the Pakistan Hockey Federation is waiting for guidance from the federal government before making a final decision regarding the team’s participation in the competition.
The final decision is therefore expected after consultations between the Pakistan Hockey Federation and the relevant government authorities.
