Sheikh Terms Conspiracy Behind NZ Cricket Team's Tour Cancellation

Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Friday termed a conspiracy behind the cancellation of the New Zealand cricket team's tour to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2021 ) :Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Friday termed a conspiracy behind the cancellation of the New Zealand cricket team's tour to Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference, the minister while declining to share Names of those involved in this conspiracy termed the tour cancellation as an attempt to damage Pakistan's efforts for peace in the region.

He said that in order to ensure foolproof security of foreign team and matches, Pakistan had not only deployed 4000 policemen but also commandos from Pakistan Army's Special Services Group (SSG) and Pak Army soldiers.

Sheikh Rashid said, "We even tried to convince them to play the match without spectators however they were not willing to come." The minister said that the government's team also reached out to Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently in Dushanbe to participate in the 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State Summit.

In direct conversation, PM Imran Khan assured New Zealand's Prime Minister of complete security to the Kiwis.

"The New Zealand prime minister said there was no issue of a threat and added that the New Zealand government had received intelligence that the team could be attacked when it steps out to go to the stadium", Sheikh said.

He added, "It is their decision as we had deployed full security for their team. Pakistan is a peace promoter in the world but this tour was cancelled through a conspiracy." Sheikh Rashid made it clear that none of our intelligence agencies, which are among the best in the world, have any information about a threat. "We are playing a major role in the region and our enemies do not want us to prosper.

" He said that unfortunately the tour was cancelled at a time when Pakistan was playing its role in ensuring peace in the region and also contributing its share in making the globe more peaceful. "No doubt there is a conspiracy behind this to harm Pakistan's efforts for peace." He said that the National Crisis Management Cell had also tried to convince New Zealand not to call off their tour but they did not agree.

He said that the same forces who wanted to hurt Pakistan's efforts for peace in the region are actually behind the cancellation of the New Zealand cricket team's tour. "This is an attempt to damage our image and the New Zealand authorities one-sidedly decided to cancel the tour," he said.

He said that Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan and provided full support to many countries in the evacuation of their citizens from Afghanistan.

He said that there were no reports of any bloodshed in Afghanistan. "The new set up in Afghanistan needs some time to manage things and the international community should come forward to help them on humanitarian grounds." Replying to a question, the minister said that New Zealand's security team had visited Pakistan four months ago and the tour itself had been scheduled months before the August 31 deadline for withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan.

He said, "Indian media always busy in defaming Pakistan but they would fail to get targets from their evil designs."In a question, he said that "On our part, we have made all arrangements including foolproof security for the England cricket team's tour."