PCB chief applies for visa to visit India

LAHORE Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Zaka Ashraf has filed an application with the Indian High Commission seeking Indian visa to hold talks with counterpart Sharad Pawar and other BCCI officials in the second week of December, it is reliably learnt. The BCCI chief Sharad Pawar has extended formal invitation to his Pakistani counterpart to visit India for negotiations regarding resumptions of cricketing relations and finalisation of cricket series either in India or on any neutral venue. A source on condition of anonymity confirmed that application for a visa had been filed with the Indian high commission and other travel arrangements were also being made for the visit in second week of December. The two boards official will finalise the schedule of Pakistan-India series likely to be held in March 2012. "The PCB chairman himself is attaching a lot of importance to the visit as it will be an official one that has been encouraged by the Indian board," the official said. PCB's former chairman Ijaz Butt also visited India several times but sources said most of the time he went there to tie up issues with the broadcasters who hold rights to Pakistan cricket and for his own private business. "Except for the 2011 World Cup semi-final in Mohali, Butt didn't go to India with any formal meeting set up with the Indian board officials," a reliable source said. He said, in contrast the BCCI had itself responded positively to a letter sent to them by Ashraf soon after he took charge in late October. "The Indian Board itself has invited Ashraf to visit India and discuss cricket issues including next year's FTP Pakistan tour to India," the source said. He said Ashraf had also got the green signal from the government to hold talks with his Indian counterparts and confirm to them that Pakistan is ready to tour India next year once the itinerary is finalised. Pakistan and India last played a bilateral series in late 2007 when Pakistan went to India and in early 2009 India cancelled a Test tour to Pakistan after the Mumbai terror attack.