Islamabad - The Players Squash Association (PSA) becomes tool of Indian lobby, as they banned all the players from participating in international events in Pakistan citing so-called high security risk advised by unknown security consultants Sports Risk.

It is quite unfortunate that the report was based on 10-year back security issues in Pakistan. The Sports Risk completely ignored the fact that in the last 3 years, more than 90 international top ranked male and female players along with the WSF officials, referees and other high-profile persons visited Pakistan and termed Pakistan a safe country to host international events. But all of a sudden, PSA tour director Hannah Ridgard-Mason sent an email in this regard to all the PSA-affiliated players, who had entered their names for the 3rd Bahria Town International $15,000 Female Championship, which was scheduled to be held next month.

It is quite unfortunate that the World Squash Federation (WSF) and the PSA never bothered to look into simple fact that only this month, Pakistan very successfully conducted Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group-II tie against Iran in Islamabad, where hundreds of spectators turned up to witness the matches after a gap of more than 12 years. The Iranian players described Pakistan as one of the best countries, they had ever visited, saying they can never forget the hospitality rendered to them by the local people.

Pakistan successfully conducted four $25,000 PSA events, besides Bahria Town International $15,000 event exclusively for females, while Pakistan was all set to conduct 10 international high-prize tournaments this year, but all their plans were brought down to earth by a highly unjustified PSA decision.

On what grounds and reports, the PSA issued this advice. The reason is quite simple that the Indian’s are behind the move. One of the Indians and some highly unknown players had sent a written complaint to PSA, saying their countries were not allowing them to travel to Pakistan to play in PSA events. It had nothing to do with Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) or government of Pakistan, it is their respective countries, who should take blame of stopping their players, while Indians had not absolve the bitter truth that it was Pakistan, who spoilt their dream of capturing the WSF president slot and it was also a huge blunder by PSF senior vice president Air Vice Marshal (R) Syed Razi Nawab, who first contested the WSF vice president elections and lost badly and then making the things worst, he contested the Asian Squash Federation (ASF) vice president elections and again lost badly.

It also shows that Pakistan is isolated even in Asian block and once the undisputed world champions of squash are finding it hard to even control things at Asian level, but on the other hand, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had always provided red box security and pick and drop from airport to hotels to the foreign players. All the players had deeply admired the PSF’s hospitality and termed Pakistan as their second home, so it is totally biased decision by the PSA to stop players from visiting Pakistan to play squash here.  When this scribe contacted PSF honorary secretary Group Captain Amir Nawaz to seek his point of view on the prevailing situation, he said: “We will not sit back, rather we will take this issue to all the available forums. We are just working on different plans and in a day or two, we will come out with our decision.

“How can the PSA on an unknown security firm’s report bars foreign players from playing in Pakistan. We have already proved and will prove again that there is absolutely no security concern at all and Pakistan is as safe as any other sports-playing nation and we can not only conduct international events, but also can protect our guests very well,” Amir concluded.