By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan will take a decision on whether to tour India for a double-leg tournament in Chandigarh and Jalandhar after meeting with Indian hockey officials on the sidelines of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Congress in Kuala Lumpur later this week.
Asif Bajwa, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary, told IANS Monday that he will be meeting Aslam Khan, the chief of Indian Hockey Federation’s ad-hoc committee in Kuala Lumpur ahead of the AHF Congress to be held Dec 20.
Bajwa, a former Olympian who will be leaving for Kuala Lumpur Tuesday, said that Pakistan will only take a final decision on whether to play in the four-nation tournament in India after carefully studying the situation.
“We want to play in the tournament but will see whether the situation is okay to visit India,” he said.
Last month, Pakistan had confirmed its participation in the four-nation double header to be played in Chandigarh and Jalandhar next February. World and Olympic champions Germany, Holland and host India are the other teams featuring in the event.
However, the PHF later said it will reconsider the decision to send its team to India because of the strained relations between the two countries in the wake of last month’s Mumbai’s terror attacks.
Bajwa said his team is aiming to regain the Asia Cup next summer in Dubai and needs top quality matches to prepare itself. “It’s very important that we play against top teams like Germany and Holland,” said Bajwa, also a former Pakistan coach.