If Indian Pilgrims Can Visit, Why Not Tennis Players, Asks PTF
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 4.2 km-long Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on 9 November.
The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has filed an appeal against the International Tennis Federation's decision of shifting the Pakistan-India Davis Cup tie from Islamabad to a neutral venue. PTF, in its petition, asks why a 10-member tennis team can’t visit Pakistan when thousands of Indian Sikh pilgrims can?
"Every year, many Sikhs come here (to Pakistan). A large number of Indian Sikhs are all set to visit the country for celebrating the 550th birthday anniversary of the founder of Sikhism, Baba Guru Nanak in the next few days." PTF president Salim Saifullah had said on Wednesday while talking to Dawn.
Terming the ITF decision to shift the venue of the much-awaited Davis Cup tie highly disappointing, Salim had said after filing the appeal with the ITF on Thursday, that the PTF would decide about the neutral venue.
"Following the review of the latest advice given by the ITF's independent security advisors, the Davis Cup Committee has taken the decision that the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tie between Pakistan and India on November 29-30 must be played at a neutral venue." the ITF had said.
It further stated that as per the Davis Cup regulations, "the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has the choice to nominate a neutral venue and has five working days to confirm the proposed venue. The venue will be announced once the choice has been submitted or approved."
The tie was earlier scheduled to be held on 14-15 September but was postponed to November after a security review by the ITF in August.
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