India visit in national interest
Pakistan’s PM Yousuf Gilani says:
Pakistan: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Monday
his visit to India to watch the World Cup cricket semi-final between the
two countries was in the “national interest”.
Gilani accepted an invitation from his Indian counterpart Manmohan
Singh to attend the match after a meeting with President Asif Ali
Zardari on Saturday.
“I have decided to avail of this opportunity in national interest,”
an official statement quoted Gilani as telling a meeting of the federal
cabinet in Islamabad.
“It is also a timely opportunity for the two Governments to show to
the world that the two nations can play together as well as sit and
deliberate together on issues of national importance,” he said.
Gilani telephoned Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi on Monday and
“wished him and other members of team best of luck in the semi-final,”
an official statement said.
“Irrespective of the result, the team should demonstrate the best of
sportsmanship and dedication to contest,” he said.
He added that while accepting the invitation of his Indian
counterpart, “it was in his heart to be present on the occasion to
express solidarity with the players of the Pakistani cricket team.”
“Afridi assured the Prime Minister that each member of the team would
put in his best performance for a favourable result,” the statement
said.
A knock-out World Cup match on Indian soil is the biggest fixture
between the rivals for decades and excitement is already at fever-pitch.
Wednesday’s match in Mohali will showcase one of the world’s most
intense sporting rivalries, fuelled by nationalism and a shared
history.Relations are still tense following the November 2008 Mumbai
attacks. The incident left 166 people dead and stalled a fragile
four-year peace process between the two nuclear-armed South Asian
rivals.
Top officials from India and Pakistan are holding talks in Delhi
focusing on counter-terrorism, narcotics control and humanitarian
issues.
The two countries announced the resumption of peace talks last month
after a meeting between Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and
his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu.
Islamabad, Tuesday, AFP
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