WT20: Pak govt gives go ahead to team for participation in tournament

IslamabadThe uncertainty over Pakistansparticipation in the World Twenty20 Championship finally ended on Fridayafter the countrys cricket team got governmentclearance to travel to India following assurances of securityfrom the host nationChairman of the Pakistan Cricket Boards executivecommittee Najam Sethi after a long meeting with InteriorMinister Chaudary Nisar Ali Khan said that the government hasgiven the go ahead to send the team to IndiaThe team will fly out tonight for Dubai and onwards toKolkata Sethi saidChairman of the Pakistan Cricket Boards executivecommittee Najam SethiI have some good news for all cricket lovers who havebeen waiting for a long time that the interior minister hasgiven clearance for the team to travel to India he addedSethi said the clearance was given after solidassurances from the Indian government about providingsecurity to the Pakistan team in India and after speaking tothe Pakistan High Commissioner in New DelhiThe High Commissioner also met with the Home Secretaryin New Delhi today in which the security arrangements werediscussed he addedIndias Ministry of External Affairs also issued astatement after the meeting reiterating that security will befoolproof for all participating teamsThe High Commissioner of Pakistan met Home Secretarytoday in connection with the forthcoming ICC World T20tournament in India The discussions were positive the MEAspokesperson Vikas Swaroop said in a statementThe Home Secretary conveyed to the High Commissioner ofPakistan that all necessary arrangements are being made forall participating countries as appropriate including forsecurity of all the participants concerned Home Secretaryreiterated that as in the past all participants will be lookedafter and there is no cause for concern it addedDue to the delay in travel clearance Pakistans firstwarmup match against Bengal tomorrow has been cancelled butthe team will take on Sri Lanka on Sunday in its secondpractice gameThe clearance from the Pakistan government came afterNisar spoke to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is on anofficial visit to Saudi ArabiaThe Prime Minister gave approval after being briefedthat the Indian Home Minister and Home Secretary had givensolid assurances that the Pakistan team would be providedround the clock security in India an official source in thePCB told PTIThe Pakistan government had been insisting since lastweek that it would not allow the national team to go to Indiafor the megaevent until the Indian government gave writtensecurity assurances because of the Pakistan specific threatsin IndiaAfter days of uncertainty the decision to send the teamcame after getting assurances from the Indian government forproviding top security to the Pakistani players officialsmedia personnel and fans who will visit India for the matchesThe development came after Indian Home Minister RajnathSingh said that Pakistan team would be given full security andthat the World T20 would be held smoothly and all teams shouldtravel to India without any security concernsBengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also tweeted andsent a message to the Pakistan Cricket Board that top securitywould be provided to the visiting team in KolkataBecause of the security concerns of Pakistan theirmarquee clash against India on March 19 has already been movedfrom Dharamsala to Kolkata after Himachal Pradesh CM VirbhadraSingh expressed inability to provide cover for the visitingsidePCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan said the clearance from thegovernment was a very positive developmentPeople want to see Pakistan play in the World T20 and wealso wanted to send the team But the government rightly hadsome concerns for the security off the team in India whichhave been addressed by the Indian government ICC and BCCIhe saidKhan had earlier said that if Pakistan didnt go to Indiafor the World T20 the PCB could incur losses of around USD 15million which was a big amount at this time