Indian envoy in Pakistan summoned over World T20 permission denial

Islamabad, March 16 (IANS) Pakistan on Wednesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh and lodged a “strong protest” over the Indian government’s refusal to grant permission to its New Delhi-based diplomats to travel to Kolkata to witness World T20 matches there, an official said here.

India on Tuesday did not allow five Pakistani diplomats to watch a World Cup T20 cricket match involving Pakistan, because they were seen as having links with “Inter-Services Intelligence organisations”.

The Foreign Office summoned Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh and told him that clearance should be given to other diplomats also as it was a “big sporting event” and these diplomats were travelling to Kolkata to encourage the Pakistan cricket team, sources said.

Sources in Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had termed the denial of travel permission as “unfortunate” and said: “India, despite being the host of the World Cup, is refusing to fulfil its obligations and creating hurdles.”