India/Pakistan

Pakistan cricket tour called off, new anti-terror laws agreed

Article published on the 2008-12-18 Latest update 2008-12-18 15:23 TU

India's Rahul Dravid during a training session in Mohali.
(Credit: Reuters)

The Indian cricket board has announced that it will not go ahead with its tour of Pakistan that was planned for next year. The decision follows the attacks on Mumbai in November.

The national team was scheduled to play neighbouring Pakistan between January and February next year in three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match.

But the Indian Cricket Board was told by the government that in present conditions "it is not feasible to tour Pakistan", said Ratnakar Shetty from India's Board of Control for Cricket.

The Pakistani Cricket Board said they were disappointed at the decision. There were no discussions about a change of venue.

"People from their soil were indulging in mass murder in India," Indian Sports Minister Manohar Singh Gill said last week.

Cricket is a national obsession in both countries and the Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by India, Pakistan and  neighbouring countries in 2011 but Shetty insisted that it will not be affected.

Meanwhile, the Indian parliament unanimously agreed amendments to the country's Unlawful Activities law on Wednesday.

They allow for the detention of alleged militants for up to 180 days, as well as the introduction of an FBI-style agency to fix gaps in policing.

"Unless you can prevent, I don't think providing detention for a period of 180 days ... is going to deter any kind of terrorism activity," says Suhash Chakma from the Asian Centre for Human Rights in New Delhi.

Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram assured parliament that these laws were not the only measures the government is taking, but also promised that they would not be used to flout fundamental human rights.

"The first target of this anti-terror law will be people who belong to religious minorities," Chakma told RFI.

In Pakistan, the government has summoned a top Indian diplomat over alleged violations of its airspace by Indian fighter jets last week.

Pakistan claims that fighter jets flew over parts of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and the eastern city of Lahore.