Daily Times

Sir: Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s offer to the Taliban for a friendly cricket match and the militants’ prompt refusal is disgraceful for the government and the families of over 50,000 citizens killed in terrorism.

It also shows that the PML-N government is clueless about how to tackle the militancy issue and the continued ruthless killing of the citizens across the country.

The Pakistan People’s Party government made a similar mistake in 2009 by not providing adequate security to the Sri Lankan team, arguing that the Taliban were also cricket lovers and would never jeopardize the game for their nefarious objectives. Six members of the Sri Lankan team were injured and six Pakistani policemen and two civilians were killed in the attack. Also Pakistan was deprived of hosting any international cricket.

Mr Khan’s offer to play ball soon after the ruthless slaying of 23 FC troops by the Taliban was a joke with the families of those killed. I am sure the interior minister would never find the courage to invite the families of the victims to come and watch the match. The offer for a cricket match also shows that the government has surrendered to the brutal militants. While the Taliban beheads and humiliates our soldiers, we, instead of taking strict military action, offer peace through cricket.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan should understand that cricket is a game of love and peace and cannot be mixed with militancy and terrorism.

Irfan Hussain

London,

UK