Pakistan-India cricket ties remain stalled despite Khan, Shukla meeting

NEW DELHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shahryar Khan met with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice President Rajeev Shukla under high-security here on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media, Shukla said this was an informal meeting and not official talks between PCB and BCCI.

However in an interview with AFP, Shahryar Khan said he was still hopeful of resuming cricketing ties with India.

"It was a nice gesture from the BCCI to invite us and they were positive about the series before this unfortunate and condemnable situation came," Khan told AFP from Delhi by phone.

"I hope the meeting will be rescheduled in Delhi, if not we will meet in Dubai in the next few days," said Khan. "I am still hopeful of a positive response."

Read: PCB chairman still hopeful of cricket series with India

The meeting between Khan and Shukla comes after activists of hardline Hindu nationalist party Shiv Sena stormed the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Monday. Shiv Sena stormed the BCCI headquarters just prior to a meeting between Indian cricket officials and their Pakistani counterparts to discuss reviving cricket ties between the two nations.



Between 40 and 50 Shiv Sena activists barged into the BCCI head-office at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, shouting slogans against Pakistan and carrying placards saying "Shahryar Khan waapis jao (Shahryar Khan, Go Back)".

Read: Shiv Sena storm BCCI headquarters

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan and PCB Executive Committee head Najam Sethi are in India for meetings with BCCI president Shashank Manohar and top Indian cricket officials to confirm whether the India-Pakistan cricket series will take place in December.

Najam Sethi took to twitter on Tuesday to send out a message of peace. Sethi tweeted: “Message for cricket fans in India and Pakistan. Don’t mix politics with cricket. Play the game and may the better side win”.

Meanwhile,the International Cricket Council (ICC) also stopped Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar from officiating in the remaining ODIs between Indian and South Africa.

The ICC said it decided to remove Dar from the series after protesters stormed Indian cricket's headquarters, demanding his removal.

Read: ICC withdraws Aleem Dar

Pakistani actors Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan were also threatened by the hardline party.

According to a report in Emirates 24/7, senior Shiv Sena leaders have vowed not to let Mahira Khan (Raees) and Fawad Khan (Ae Dil Mai Mushkil) promote their films in Maharashtra.

Last week, Shiv sena activists attacked Sudheendra Kulkarni, the organiser of a book launch in Mumbai for former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri, saying any engagement with Pakistan is unacceptable.

Earlier this month, threats from the extreme right-wing group led to organisers cancelling legendary Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali's show in Mumbai despite the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assuring that the event would not be stopped.

Shiv Sena co-governs the Indian state of Maharashtra with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP.