Pak sports minister hopes to revive sporting ties with India
Pak sports minister hopes to revive sporting ties with India
Karachi: Pakistan sports minister Engineer Shaukatullah is hoping for a revival of bilateral sporting ties with India in the wake of renewed contacts between the two governments ahead of the World Cup semi-final between the two archrivals in Mohali.
“Yes, a parliamentary delegation is going to accompany the prime minister (of Pakistan) to Mohali for the match and we have prepared a blueprint on how to revive bilateral sporting ties between the two countries," Shaukatullah said.
The sports minister said that normal bilateral sporting exchanges, including cricket were necessary and important for a country like Pakistan.
“India is ahead of us in terms of commercial market for sports and cricket and in facilities for different sports. The more we have exchanges with them the more it will benefit us," said Shaukatullah.
The minister said that he would hold an informal meeting with his Indian counterpart and show him the plan by which the sporting ties and exchanges between the two nations can be revived.
India has suspended bilateral cricketing ties with Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks but Pakistan has sent its hockey, snooker, squash and table tennis teams to India in recent times for multi-international events.
The Pakistani minister said he hoped his country would win the semi-final against India.
“But what is more important is that our players give their best and the match produces goodwill between the people of both countries," he added.
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