Pak Asia Cup Hockey participation in doubt
Pakistan hockey team's participation in the upcoming Men's Asia Cup hockey tournament, scheduled to be held in Rajgir, Bihar, from 27 August to 7 September has been put in serious doubt following the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
India has taken a stern diplomatic step by revoking all visas issued to Pakistani nationals and that has jeopardised Pakistan hockey team's travel plans to Rajgir for the mega event.
The eight-nation event is also a qualifier for the 2026 Hockey World Cup, co-hosted by Belgium and Amstelveen, making it a crucial fixture on the international hockey calendar.
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) General Secretary Rana Mujahid expressed his concern over the current situation.
Speaking to Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net) from Lahore, Mujahid said the situation has completely changed in the aftermath of the unfortunate terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
"We have good relations with Hockey India, but the team's visit is a government-to-government issue. We will request our government to allow us to participate. If they approve, we'll go - but if they decline, there's no chance. The Indian government has revoked all Pakistani visas; how can our team visit India in such circumstances?" he said.
On the Indian side, Hockey India General Secretary Bhola Nath Singh also adopted a wait-and-see stance. "We haven't had any discussions on the tournament yet. We will await guidance from our government and take a decision at the appropriate time."
Despite the strained relations, Pakistan's hockey teams have travelled to India on three occasions in the past decade - for the 2014 Champions Trophy, the 2018 Hockey World Cup (both in Bhubaneswar), and the 2021 Junior World Cup in Delhi.
However, with diplomatic tensions running high, this year's Asia Cup participation remains highly uncertain.
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