Shillong, Feb. 9: Bilateral cricketing ties may have snapped between India and Pakistan (except international tournaments) because of strained political ties but the Pakistani contingent participating in the 12th South Asian Games believe that "sports know no boundaries".
Just as love has bonded Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoab Malik, the sportspersons of these countries harbour no ill-will towards each other.
In a chat with this correspondent, Amir Shahzad Butt, manager for the Pakistan wushu team and joint secretary of the Pakistan Wushu Federation, said, "We are sportspeople and we do not feel such an issue (the political problem between India and Pakistan) can come between us in the game." Butt was shopping with his seven-member team at Khyndai Lad (Police Bazar) here last evening. The team arrived there in a vehicle along with police escort.
Asked about the simmering Indo-Pak relations, which have halted cricket matches between the two countries, the Pakistani official left it to the political heads. "If the governments and political parties have the will, there will be no problem...and for us sportspeople, we don't have any issue," he said.
To strengthen the ties between India and Pakistan, Butt suggested holding of maximum international events similar to these Games because he believes that sports play a vital role in paving the way to peace and harmony. "Through events such as this, we meet sportspersons and officials from various countries and share our thoughts and opinions," he said.
The Pakistan wushu team have won three bronze medals in the women's category. "We are satisfied with our performances though we did not get gold," Butt said.
As the team leaves for Pakistan on Thursday, Butt and his team also hoped to visit the tourist spots. "We like this place very much, the cold weather and loving people," he said. Butt and his team checked in at the newly built Poinisuk Hotel here.
The Pakistani contingent lauded the beauty of Shillong, its hospitality and friendly people.
The Pakistani table tennis team was happy to secure a silver medal after a gap of 12 years. "It is a great achievement for our country to get the silver medal in the South Asian Games after 12 years. We already knew we could not win the gold against India," vice-captain of the table tennis team Ayesha Ansari told The Telegraph at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Sports hall here.
