Pakistan Tennis Federation assures Indian players of adequate security ahead of Davis Cup tie
The PTF has declared that it has all the arrangements in place to host the Indian team in a Davis Cup tie and has guaranteed abundant security to them. The All India Tennis Association has also cleared the air regarding the player’s concerns whereas the PTF re-assured its ability to host matches.
The Indian Tennis team will become the first Indian cricketing contingent to travel to the neighbouring country of Pakistan in more than a decade when they land at Islamabad to play their Asia/Oceania Group 1 Davis Cup fixture. It has been 55 years since the tennis team travelled there to play a Davis Cup tie, though the two teams have clashed as recently as 2006 in Mumbai.
Considering the hostility between the two conditions politically, security concerns are natural but the Pakistan Tennis Federation has stated that it has done its best to ensure the visitors enjoy a safe trip to the country.
"Wherever you go to play, the host nation is prepared, nobody hosts (sporting events) without proper arrangements. We have ample security measures in place but I can't share those with you over the phone. There is no problem as such," Colonel (retired) Gul Rehman, secretary of the PTF, told TOI.
The country has already hosted various Davis Cup matches of late and in the past few years without any worries. The security responsibility also lies with the International Tennis Federation whose officials have already approved of the arrangements in place.
"The (Pakistan) Government will provide the security. We have hosted Uzbekistan, Korea, Thailand. Nobody expressed any problems. Naturally, we have had communication with AITA; and if (there are) any issues, they will let us know. But there have been no talks around security because it is ITF's responsibility. It's a wrong impression that there could be any security problems in Pakistan," Rehman added.
India’s non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi had earlier in the week contacted the All India Tennis Association to inquire about the security and whether they had received the clearance to travel to Pakistan. However, some of the Indian players were reported to be anxious about the tour but the claims have been dismissed as false by the association.
"They haven't said that. Anyone can quote whatever they feel like but that's not what was said. Since we are playing Pakistan, the players were a bit concerned if proper security arrangements have been made or not. There is nothing wrong in that. They (players) also wanted to know if we have got the clearances and all to play in Pakistan. The captain (Bhupathi) wanted to ask me that question. It is between the captain and the secretary," AITA Secretary General Hironmoy Chatterjee told TOI.
He stated that the association did not feel the need to take permission from the Ministry of External Affairs considering it did not fall under their purview.
"We fall under MYAS. We have their approval, finished. The ministry under which we fall, I will go to only that ministry. I have written to them and they have given the approval. That ends the matter," Chatterjee asserted.
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