Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a committee to discuss Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup in India, and their first meeting is scheduled to take place this Thursday. The committee, headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, will also include Zaka Ashraf, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee.
The main agenda of the meeting will be to deliberate on Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup in India, particularly focusing on the highly anticipated Pakistan vs. India clash, which is slated to take place in Ahmedabad.
The 14-member committee comprises the Foreign Minister, Interior Minister, Law Minister, Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister, Information and Broadcasting Minister, Adviser on Kashmir Affairs, Adviser on Establishment, Foreign Secretary, PSPM (Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister), and representatives from various secret agencies and sensitive departments.
The committee will review all aspects related to Pakistan’s participation in the mega event and formulate recommendations to be presented to the Prime Minister, who will ultimately make the final decision on the country’s participation.
It is worth noting that India, the host of the upcoming ODI World Cup scheduled for October-November this year, has already refused to cross the border to participate in the Asia Cup, leading to Pakistan losing its right to host all matches. Consequently, Pakistan will now only host four matches, while the remaining Asia Cup matches will be played in Sri Lanka.
In light of this situation, the PCB Chief Operating Officer, Salman Naseer, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, seeking the government’s permission for the Pakistan cricket team’s participation in the multi-nation event in India. The committee’s meeting will play a crucial role in determining Pakistan’s stance on the matter.
