NEW DELHI: A media storm in a tea cup that got wind in its sails due to the frosty relations existing between India and arch enemy Pakistan looks all set to quietly blow over.
Pakistan’s hockey team, which is awaiting visa clearances from India to travel to Bhubaneswar later this month for the Hero Hockey World Cup 2018 (M), will get the necessary sanctions from the concerned ministries once the size of the contingent seeking travel documents has been pruned from 30 to 20 members a Hockey India official has clarified.
“There is no delay in issuance of visas. Pakistan has sent a long list of 30 members. It has to be cut short to 20 by November 10. Once that is done, they will be provided with visas to travel,” a Hockey India official told Tribune India. The official also clarified that the Indian team too will have to be pruned to 20 by the November 10 November deadline.
His comments come in the wake of a report in Times of India alluding to uncertainty over Pakistan’s participation in the marquee event as India hadn’t yet approved the visas for Pakistan’s players and support staff.
The tournament, which will see 16 teams face off, kickstarts on November 28. The teams are expected to start reaching Odisha a week prior to it. “The visa applications are under process. The tournament begins end of November. We have enough time,” a source told Tribune India.
The source further said that unlike in 2016, when the Pakistani team applied for visas after the official deadline and later withdrew from Junior Hockey World Cup held in India, this time visa requests were received in time.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has requested the Indian government to allow Pakistan to participate in the top tournament.
A three-member Pakistani delegation was in attendance for the FIH Congress in New Delhi last week.
Pakistan’s hockey team last played in India in December 2014.
Sporting engagements between India and Pakistan have been minimal even as a Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, that was briefed by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale last month, advocated some form of ties including people to people and sports.
Related Report:
Pak faces uncertainty over Indian visas ahead of Hockey WC
