HK pull out of Davis Cup tie in Pakistan over security fears

KARACHI: Hong Kong withdrew from their Davis Cup tie against Pakistan in Islamabad citing security concerns, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said in a statement on Tuesday. P akistan have been forced to play home Davis Cup ties in the Asia/Oceania group abroad since 2010 because of poor law and order situation in the country, but international tennis returned last month when Pakistan beat Iran 3-2 in a first-round tie in Islamabad. It was the first Davis Cup match in the country in 12 years. Hong Kong had challenged the Davis Cup Committee’s decision to approve matches in Pakistan, and withdrew following an independent tribunal ruling that the tie should go ahead. “The ITF regrets and respectfully disagrees with the decision of Hong Kong, China, to default its upcoming Davis Cup tie against Pakistan,” the federation said. “The ITF takes the security of all players, team personnel, officials and spectators very seriously. We are entirely confident in the security risk management procedures we have in place. “Pakistan have advanced to the third round of Asia/Oceania group II as a result of Hong Kong’s withdrawal and will host the winner of the tie between the Philippines and Thailand. “The case will be sent back to the independent tribunal to determine if Hong Kong have breached tournament regulations,” ITF said. Sportspeople have been avoiding visiting Pakistan since the attack on a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in 2009. Six players were hurt in that attack and two civilians and six security officials were killed. A tour by Zimbabwe’s cricket team in 2015 was almost disrupted when a suicide bomber killed two security officials near a stadium. Earlier this month, several foreign cricketers withdrew from Pakistan Super League (PSL) final in Lahore, citing security concerns. The final, which was the first-ever Pakistan Super League match to be played in the country, went ahead on March 5 and was completed without any hiccup.