ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has announced a major new rule for the country’s sports teams. From now on, all national sports groups must get special permission from the PSB before they can agree to play in any sporting event in India.
This important decision was made because of growing “security concerns” for Pakistani athletes. The instructions for this new policy came directly from the Prime Minister’s Office.
PSB Restricts Sports Travel to India: Security Concerns Halt Pakistan Sports Tours
The new rule was finalized at a recent PSB Board meeting. After the meeting, a notice was sent to all of Pakistan’s sports federations. This change means that all requests to play in India will now be handled by one main authority, the PSB.
What Does the New Rule Say?
The notice sent out by the Pakistan Sports Board is very clear. It says that because of the current security situation, no sports group can promise to play in any tournament in India on their own.
The official notice states:
“In view of the current security situation, no national federation shall make any commitment or agreement regarding participation in sports events in India without prior permission from PSB.”
The board has told all sports groups that they must follow this rule very strictly.
Why Was This Decision Made?
The official reason given is “security concerns.” This new rule comes at a time when tensions between Pakistan and India have been rising, both in politics and in sports.
- Recent Problems: Just last week, a cricket match between famous retired players from Pakistan and India was cancelled. This happened after well-known Indian players, like Shikhar Dhawan, refused to play against the Pakistani team, as reported by Indian Express.
- Player Safety: The main goal of the PSB is to keep Pakistani athletes and officials safe when they travel. This new rule is meant to prevent any problems before they can happen.
How Will This Affect Future Games?
This new rule is expected to affect several upcoming sports events. For example, the Pakistan hockey team was scheduled to play in the Men’s Asia Cup in India. Now, their participation is not certain.
This policy suggests that in the future, games between Pakistan and India will most likely be held in other countries, which are called “neutral venues.” This has happened with cricket matches in the past. The new rule ensures that the government will carefully check and approve any plan for a Pakistani team to travel to India.
