ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: The Pakistan government denied permission on Friday for its hockey and junior squash teams to travel to India due to security concerns.

The hockey team was due to compete with reigning world and Olympic champions Germany, the Netherlands and India from Jan 31 to Feb 9 in the four-nation tournament in Chandigarh.

While the squash team was to defend its team and individual titles in the Asian Junior championship from Jan 16 to 28 in Chennai.

Pakistan and India are in tense diplomatic tensions following the Nov 26 Mumbai attacks which left over 170 people dead and many injured.

India blamed Pakistan for the attacks and snapped their sporting ties, refusing permission to its junior hockey and national cricket teams to play scheduled series in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Sports Minister Pir Aftab Shah Jilani cited security issues for barring both the teams’ travel to India.

“We sought advice from the external ministry and took the decision that it’s not advisable to send the teams to India over security fears,” Jilani said.

The minister said he had consulted on Friday with PHF officials, including President Qasim Zia and Secretary Asif Bajwa, before deciding against sending the hockey team to India.

“We held a meeting today with all the top officials of PHF before reaching the decision,” Jilani said.

Qasim Zia said: “We stand by the decision of the government. We had already told them [Indian Hockey Federation] that the decision would be made on government’s advice.”

Federal Sports Secretary Ashraf Khan told Dawn: “It is felt that in the wake of existing political situation, the visit of Pakistan’s hockey and squash teams to India is not advisable.”

The government felt, he said, that the players under tense environment would not be able to perform to their maximum potential.

When asked what would be the likely time frame for restoration of sports ties between the arch-rivals, he said: “The sports ties will be restored as soon as the conditions are normalised between both the countries.”

Meanwhile, senior vice president of the Pakistan Squash Federation, AVM Asim Suleman remarked about Pakistan’s being the defending champion of the junior squash: “National interest is paramount, it’s a government decision of not sending squash team to India and we will follow it.”

Agencies add: It was more of an embarrassing situation for the PHF as New Zealand accepted India’s invitation to replace Pakistan for the four-nation hockey tournament.

“We were keen on getting a good replacement for Pakistan, and New Zealand will make the competition even tougher,” tournament organiser Pargat Singh, a former India captain, told the Times of India newspaper.

The report came as Pakistan confirmed it would not take part in the event.

The hockey tournament gives India a chance to test their mettle against three top teams as the eight-time Olympic champions rebuild after failing to qualify for the Beijing Games last August.