Pakistan cricket officials on Tuesday slammed Australia’s decision to go ahead with their tour of India despite a series of deadly bomb blasts, saying it smacked of double standards.
Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday said their team’s tour to India will go ahead despite five blasts in New Delhi on Saturday that killed at least 20 people and left 90 injured.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said the decision clearly showed double standards.
”Pakistan is as safe a country as India and we had even promised state level security for the Australians and other teams,” Naghmi told AFP.
”The events [Australia touring India] only show the double standards of Australian cricket.”
Australia have not toured Pakistan over security fears since 1998.
They forced Pakistan to relocate a series to the neutral grounds of Sri Lanka and Sharjah in 2002 after the Australian government advised them against touring in the wake of the 9/11 events.
Australia again postponed their full tour of Pakistan in March this year over security fears and only agreed to reschedule the tour into two visits for a one-day series in 2009 and for Tests in 2010.
And Australian players were at the forefront of boycotting the Champions Trophy in Pakistan this month, which has now been postponed until October next year.
Naghmi said the PCB hopes Australia fulfil their commitment to tour next year.
”Now we will see if Australia will come to Pakistan next year and what pretext they now make,” said Naghmi.
”Terrorist attacks can take place anywhere. No country is safer than the other and this point was highlighted after the unfortunate and sad incident in Delhi.
”We find it hard to comprehend that when Australian cricketers can tour a country that has had a succession of bomb attacks, what is so different about coming to Pakistan.”
Naghmi also criticised the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) for not believing what the International Cricket Council (ICC) said about Pakistan.
”The stance taken by the ACA was disappointing as even the ICC and other countries had acknowledged the great efforts made by Pakistan to provide a safe environment for the Champions Trophy and cleared Pakistan as safe.” — Sapa-AFP