Pakistan hockey team withdraws from Asia Cup in India over security concerns

KARACHI (Monitoring Desk): Pakistan has decided not to send its national hockey team to participate in the upcoming Asia Cup tournament scheduled to be held in India.

The decision comes amid rising security threats, political tensions, and hostile propaganda targeting Pakistani athletes.

According to sources, Pakistan has always kept sports separate from politics, but India has allegedly politicized the event, creating a controversial and unsafe environment for the visiting team.

“Pakistan has always promoted peace through sports, but unfortunately, India has used international sports events as tools of political aggression,” sources added.

The decision to withdraw has been taken in light of increasing threats directed at the Pakistani hockey team.

According to sources, several extremist groups have openly issued threats against the Pakistani players via various social media platforms, raising serious security concerns for the team.

“Indian media continues to spew venom against Pakistan, fueling public sentiment and creating a dangerously hostile environment,” a source added.

This move marks yet another setback in sporting ties between the two neighboring nations, which have already seen strained relations in cricket, hockey, and other international competitions due to geopolitical tensions.

As of now, the Pakistan Hockey Federation has not released an official statement, but sources confirm that the matter was discussed at a high level, and the safety of the athletes remains the top priority.

Chairman of the Youth Program, Rana Mashhood, while commenting on a TV channel, clarified Pakistan’s participation in the Asia Cup Hockey Tournament, stating that the event will be held in India.

The security situation, however, will be thoroughly reviewed before the team travels. “If we are not satisfied, we will not put the Pakistan team at risk,” he stated.