KARACHI: Pakistan’s hockey federation said on Monday it would take part in a four-nation event in India, if the government clears it to do so, in the latest move to normalise sporting ties between the arch-rivals.

“We have confirmed participation in the four-nation hockey tournament in India and have applied for government clearance which we hope will come,” Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Asif Bajwa said.

The competition, which runs in two legs in Chandigarh and Jalandhar, will be played from Sept 19 to 26. Hosts India have invited Pakistan, New Zealand and Argentina to participate.

India stalled bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan after the November 2008 Mumbai terror incident which killed 166 people.

Pakistan was replaced by New Zealand in a four-nation hockey event in 2009, but was well received by Indian crowds in the World Cup in New Delhi last year.

Bajwa said an opening is required to resume bilateral sporting ties.

“We hope hockey gives that opening which is requisite to revive sporting ties between Pakistan and India, and we feel that the situation as far as sporting ties are concerned is improving,” said Bajwa, also a former Olympian.

Bajwa added that plans to revive a hockey series between the two countries were also in the pipeline.

“We had fruitful talks with our Indian counterparts and... we hope that our talks to revive Indo-Pak hockey series will also be materialised,” stated Bajwa.

India and Pakistan were field hockey superpowers, sharing 11 Olympic titles before European nations took over when artificial turf replaced natural grass as playing surface in mid-1970s.

Pakistan’s cricket team is also slated to visit India next year under the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours Programme, although it depends on clearance from both governments.

The prime ministers of both countries vowed to resume sporting ties when they met at the cricket World Cup semi-final between Pakistan and India in Mohali, India in March. —AFP