Shah expresses dismay as hockey series cancelled

Thursday, November 13, 2008

KARACHI: Sindh Sports Minister Dr Muhammad Ali Shah is hopeful that Pakistan will bounce back from the shocking cancellation of a junior hockey Test series against India.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Shah expressed his disappointment on India’s decision to block its junior hockey team’s tour of Pakistan on the pretext of security concerns.

“I was disappointed to learn that the Indian government has called off the tour of Indian junior hockey team on the pretext of security concerns,” said Shah, a well-known figure in Pakistan’s sports circles. “The cancellation of the series is a great setback for hockey in both the countries,” he added.

He added: “The first Test of the series was to be played in Karachi and I believe that hockey fans of the city have been deprived of what could have been a fascinating match. But I assure them that we will make alternative arrangements to provide them with some competitive matches here.”

The junior hockey series in Pakistan was supposed to be played from November 11-21 in Karachi, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Lahore.