The Sports Ministry has said it has no objection to Pakistan participating in the upcoming Hockey Asia Cup in India, but added that the final decision on visas will be made by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs. "We have no objection to Pakistan coming to play in the Hockey Asia Cup in India, as it is a multi-national event. However, I must clarify that matters related to visas fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Their decision will be final," a ministry source said as quoted by IANS.
The Hockey Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in Rajgir, Bihar, from August 27 to September 7. Meanwhile, the Junior World Cup will be hosted in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10.
India and Pakistan are also scheduled to face each other in the Asia Cup cricket tournament. However, reports suggest that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet approached the ministry on this matter.
Bilateral sporting ties between India and Pakistan remain under scrutiny following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April, which resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists. India responded in May with Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan. The operation led to a tense military standoff between the two countries.