Pakistan team arrives in India with 'peace message'

[Skeptic]

Pakistan team arrives in India with 'peace message'

NEW DELHI: They are the team everybody wants to see in action at hockey's biggest stage, the World Cup. So, the sight of this hugely talented Pakistani bunch of players trooping out of the bus on Monday evening, more than made up for the long wait one had to endure amidst tight security at the team hotel.

The players looked tired and jaded after a long and arduous bus journey from Lahore to Delhi via the Wagah border, but the excitement of reaching India was clearly visible on their faces. The Zeeshan Ashraf-led team's presence in the World Cup is important since they are the first major team from across the border to come to India for a sports event following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. And clearly, the Pakistanis understand the significance of the tour.

When asked why the team came by bus when they could have reached Delhi from Lahore in 50 minutes flat by air, manager Asif Bajwa smiled and replied: "The journey may be tough, but we have come here with a message of peace. For our brothers, this fatigue is nothing." Bajwa said that the day before coming to India the players met the Prime Minister. "He told us 'you are our ambassadors'."

There were not many gun-totting security personnel in the team hotel's vicinity, but one could feel the presence of tight security with several plainclothes policemen ensuring that nobody got close to the players. Still, some media men managed to have a word or two with the players who said they were looking forward to a good outing in the World Cup.

Earlier, the team came to the Capital in the Delhi-Lahore bus and shifted to a DTC bus at the Ambedkar bus terminal, where they were received and garlanded by officials from the Pakistan High Commission and Hockey India. Bajwa said that good security cover was provided during their trip from the Wagah border to the team hotel.

"We are happy with the security arrangements made for us and the World Cup. Right from the point we entered India till reaching here, security was strict and tight," said Bajwa, who is also the secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).

This is Pakistan hockey team's first visit to the country in over two years, the last being their visit for the Asia Cup in Chennai in 2007.

Meanwhile, some other teams including Australia and South Africa reached the city earlier in the day. The Australians, who were the first team to arrive, went to the National Stadium in the evening for a two-hour practice session. A few other teams including Argentina are scheduled to arrive early on Tuesday while the remaining teams will reach over the next three days. India are scheduled to play a warm-up match with Argentina on Tuesday.

 

[Spring Onion]

Sports should not be victimised by any side.

Hope the Indians will respond in the same manner.

 

[Spring Onion]

Security fears hit ticket sales for Pakistan-India clash
Tuesday, 23 Feb, 2010

NEW DELHI: Tough security measures in place for the field hockey World Cup look set to prevent hundreds of fans from watching the opening day’s clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on Sunday.

Tickets for the day’s three matches in the 12-nation tournament at the 19,000-seater Dhyan Chand National Stadium are not available online or through the designated outlets in the Indian capital.

“We did not get a stock for the first day, but tickets for the others days are available with us,” said a manager of a Cafe Coffee Day shop. “Everyone is asking for tickets for the India-Pakistan match.”

The website :: Welcome to Ticketgenie.in :: is selling tickets online, but for matches from the second day onwards and only for the general uncovered stands.

Tickets are not being sold for the covered stands on the southern side of the stadium, where the teams’ dressing rooms are, for the entire tournament which ends on March 13.

A member of the organising committee declined to comment on why tickets for the opening day were not available, amid speculation that police in plain clothes will fill the stands.

“For the other days there is no problem,” he told AFP. “As for the covered stands, we have been advised by police not to sell tickets as a security precaution.”

The Hindu newspaper reported over the weekend that “police want the organizers to refund the money if tickets have been sold for the covered stands.”

Security concerns for the World Cup were fuelled by a bomb blast last week in the western city of Pune that killed 15 people.

It was the first major attack on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai assault by gunmen that left 166 dead.

India has imposed a security clampdown for the tournament, which is being regarded as a test run for anti-terror measures ahead of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi from October 3-14.

Home secretary G.K. Pillai had told reporters on Monday that although there was no “credible threat” to the World Cup, thousands of police and paramilitary forces would guard the tournament.

Former India hockey captain Pargat Singh, who failed to secure the opening day’s tickets for his sports academy students, lashed out at the organisers.

“This will be by far the worst organised World Cup,” Singh told reporters.

“What should have been a showpiece event is fast becoming an embarrassment.

“I have been trying to buy tickets for players of my academy for the past two weeks, but still don’t know how to procure them,” he said.

The media has been barred from entering the stadium or interacting with the players till the tournament starts under instructions from tournament director Ken Read.

“Read has determined that media access to training will not be possible until accreditations are active, which is expected to be on February 27th,” a statement from the organisers said on Tuesday. —AFP

 

[Spring Onion]

Security fears hit ticket sales for Pakistan-India clash
Tuesday, 23 Feb, 2010

NEW DELHI: Tough security measures in place for the field hockey World Cup look set to prevent hundreds of fans from watching the opening day’s clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on Sunday.

Tickets for the day’s three matches in the 12-nation tournament at the 19,000-seater Dhyan Chand National Stadium are not available online or through the designated outlets in the Indian capital.

“We did not get a stock for the first day, but tickets for the others days are available with us,” said a manager of a Cafe Coffee Day shop. “Everyone is asking for tickets for the India-Pakistan match.”

The website :: Welcome to Ticketgenie.in :: is selling tickets online, but for matches from the second day onwards and only for the general uncovered stands.

Tickets are not being sold for the covered stands on the southern side of the stadium, where the teams’ dressing rooms are, for the entire tournament which ends on March 13.

A member of the organising committee declined to comment on why tickets for the opening day were not available, amid speculation that police in plain clothes will fill the stands.

“For the other days there is no problem,” he told AFP. “As for the covered stands, we have been advised by police not to sell tickets as a security precaution.”

The Hindu newspaper reported over the weekend that “police want the organizers to refund the money if tickets have been sold for the covered stands.”

Security concerns for the World Cup were fuelled by a bomb blast last week in the western city of Pune that killed 15 people.

It was the first major attack on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai assault by gunmen that left 166 dead.

India has imposed a security clampdown for the tournament, which is being regarded as a test run for anti-terror measures ahead of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi from October 3-14.

Home secretary G.K. Pillai had told reporters on Monday that although there was no “credible threat” to the World Cup, thousands of police and paramilitary forces would guard the tournament.

Former India hockey captain Pargat Singh, who failed to secure the opening day’s tickets for his sports academy students, lashed out at the organisers.

“This will be by far the worst organised World Cup,” Singh told reporters.

“What should have been a showpiece event is fast becoming an embarrassment.

“I have been trying to buy tickets for players of my academy for the past two weeks, but still don’t know how to procure them,” he said.

The media has been barred from entering the stadium or interacting with the players till the tournament starts under instructions from tournament director Ken Read.

“Read has determined that media access to training will not be possible until accreditations are active, which is expected to be on February 27th,” a statement from the organisers said on Tuesday. —AFP

 

[RobbieS]

My best wishes to the Pakistani team. Ejaz Butt and Sohail Abbas are just great players.

 

[Spring Onion]

My best wishes to the Pakistani team. Ejaz Butt and Sohail Abbas are just great players.

Hockey has been ignored since long in both countries and i see it a lose to a good game if people do not come forward to watch.

 

[RobbieS]

Hockey has been ignored since long in both countries and i see it a lose to a good game if people do not come forward to watch.

Yeah it will be a terrible loss to the game and the people who follow it. I have played the game for my college. Have to say its much faster and involves more skill than soccer. I may be able to go and watch the India-Pakistan game this Sunday.