Pakistan sports ministry gives NOC to hockey team for World Cup

KARACHI: The Pakistan sports ministry on Thursday issued a no-objection certificate to the national hockey team to participate in the Hero Honda FIH World Cup to be held in Delhi from February 28-March 13.

“The sports ministry has decided as a matter of policy that it had no objection to our national teams playing India in any multi-national event,” a ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman, however, clarified that the NOC was subject to clearance from the country’s Foreign Affairs and Interior ministries as well.

“But we have also sought advice of the Foreign and Interior ministries and this NOC is subject to clearance from them as well,” the spokesman said.

Since the security issues were involved in sending the Pakistan team to India, clearance from both the ministries were important, the spokesperson said.

“The World Cup is a global event and security is the responsibility of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). But obviously we need to have a look at the security issues as well while sending team to India,” he said.

“But as far as bilateral sporting ties with India are concerned for the time being the policy is to take a case to case decision,” he added.

Pakistan plays India in the last match on the opening day of the high-profile tournament.

Pakistan last won the World Cup in 1994.