India-Pak T20 World Cup clash: ‘They got scared and withdrew threat’: CM
Sikh outfit welcomes confirmation of India-Pakistan match
Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday mocked Pakistan for playing India in the ongoing T20 World Cup and said “those who issue threats must be prepared to stand by them”.
The high-profile India-Pakistan match on February 15 in Colombo will go ahead as scheduled after Pakistan’s government, following persuasion from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, decided to withdraw its boycott call.
“Now that Pakistan has decided to play the match against India, I want to tell them that do not issue threats if you are not prepared to stand by them. They had threatened that they would not play a match against India, but then they got scared and withdrew their own threat,” the chief minister told reporters here.
He said those who do not have the strength to stand by their threats should not make such threats in the first place.
“They should quietly come onto the field and play the match—whatever happens in the match will happen,” Abdullah said.
Meanwhile, All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) welcomed the confirmation of India-Pakistan match in the ongoing T20 World Cup, and said it is a positive step towards improving relations between the two countries.
“Sports, especially cricket, have the power to bring people closer and reduce the hostility. Such sporting engagements would help strengthen people-to-people contact and create an atmosphere of dialogue and understanding between India and Pakistan,” APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said in a statement.
He said sports should not become a battlefield of politics.
“Cricket should be a bridge of peace, not a battlefield of politics,” he said.
Raina appealed to the prime ministers of both India and Pakistan to work sincerely towards ending terrorism and promoting lasting peace in the region.
“Peace, friendship, and cooperation are the real victories. When terrorism ends, sports, trade, and cultural exchanges will flourish, benefitting future generations,” he added.
