Pakistan refuses to participate in T20 WC over security concerns in India  

ISLAMABAD: Following a crucial meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Pakistan has decided not to participate in World Cup Twenty20 until India assures to provide full security to Pakistani team.

The Interior Ministry has apprised India in written over the decision of Pakistan.

“Pakistan team will not depart to participate in World Cup T20 until high-level Indian officials ensure security for the team,” the ministry said and added that Pakistan wants written security assurance from India.

The decision was taken following a meeting between Nisar Ali Khan and PM Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad today.

Sources privy to the details of the meeting said, the interior minister also presented initial report prepared by the Pakistan security team in India to the Premier.

The two-member Pakistan security delegation comprising senior director of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore, Dr UsmanAnwar and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Security officer, Col. (R) Azam Khan went to Amritsar (India) from Lahore on Monday to assess the situation at Dharamshala ahead of the Pakistan India clash in that town on March 19.

The security team was constituted by the Pakistan government after Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh expressed his state government difficulty to provide security to the Pakistan team which is scheduled to play India on March 19 at Dharamshala.

Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has suggested that Pakistan play the World T20 match in Calcutta instead of Dharamshala in view of their security fears.

PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan has also asked ICC chief executive David Richardson to shift the March 19 encounter to Kolkata or Mohali.