ID :
170888
Fri, 03/25/2011 - 20:57
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/170888
The shortlink copeid
Pak welcomes WC India invite for Zardari, Gilani
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, March 25 (PTI) Pakistan on Friday welcomed
Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh's invitation to
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gilani to watch the cricket World Cup semi final in Mohali on
March 30 and a decision on the matter may be taken tomorrow.
"We welcome the invitation," Presidential spokesperson
Farhatullah Babar told PTI.
"The PM is out of the country and a decision will be
taken when he (Gilani) returns from Tashkent," Babar said,
shortly after the Indian government extended the invitation to
the two Pakistani leaders.
Gilani is expected to return to the capital Saturday.
His flight from Tashkent to Islamabad at the end of two-day
official visit on Friday was cancelled due to bad weather over
the Himalayas.
Official sources said the invitation would also be
discussed by the Foreign Office before a decision is taken.
A brief statement issued by Foreign Office
spokesperson Tahmina Janjua said Singh's invitations had been
received this evening.
In identical letters to Zardari and Gilani, Singh said
he proposed to watch the Indo-Pak World Cup semi-final and "it
gives me a great pleasure" to invite them to watch the match.
"There is huge excitement over the match and we are
all looking forward to a great game of cricket that will be a
victory for sport.
"It gives me great pleasure to invite you to visit
Mohali and join me and the millions of fans from our two
countries to watch the match," he said in the letters to both
the leaders.
India will clash with arch-rival Pakistan in the World
Cup first semi final match on March 30 at Mohali.
Singh's cricket diplomacy will be the first major
bilateral event at the summit level between the two sides
either in India or Pakistan since 26/11 attacks when relations
between the two countries plunged to a new low.
Cricket diplomacy between the two countries, which
have often witnessed acrimonious ties in the last over two
decades, had brought the late President Zia-ul Haq and former
President Pervez Musharraf to watch cricket matches in India.
Islamabad, March 25 (PTI) Pakistan on Friday welcomed
Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh's invitation to
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gilani to watch the cricket World Cup semi final in Mohali on
March 30 and a decision on the matter may be taken tomorrow.
"We welcome the invitation," Presidential spokesperson
Farhatullah Babar told PTI.
"The PM is out of the country and a decision will be
taken when he (Gilani) returns from Tashkent," Babar said,
shortly after the Indian government extended the invitation to
the two Pakistani leaders.
Gilani is expected to return to the capital Saturday.
His flight from Tashkent to Islamabad at the end of two-day
official visit on Friday was cancelled due to bad weather over
the Himalayas.
Official sources said the invitation would also be
discussed by the Foreign Office before a decision is taken.
A brief statement issued by Foreign Office
spokesperson Tahmina Janjua said Singh's invitations had been
received this evening.
In identical letters to Zardari and Gilani, Singh said
he proposed to watch the Indo-Pak World Cup semi-final and "it
gives me a great pleasure" to invite them to watch the match.
"There is huge excitement over the match and we are
all looking forward to a great game of cricket that will be a
victory for sport.
"It gives me great pleasure to invite you to visit
Mohali and join me and the millions of fans from our two
countries to watch the match," he said in the letters to both
the leaders.
India will clash with arch-rival Pakistan in the World
Cup first semi final match on March 30 at Mohali.
Singh's cricket diplomacy will be the first major
bilateral event at the summit level between the two sides
either in India or Pakistan since 26/11 attacks when relations
between the two countries plunged to a new low.
Cricket diplomacy between the two countries, which
have often witnessed acrimonious ties in the last over two
decades, had brought the late President Zia-ul Haq and former
President Pervez Musharraf to watch cricket matches in India.
