Thaindian News

Islamabad, March 27 (IANS) Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has accepted an invitation from his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh to watch the cricket World Cup semifinal between the two countries in Mohali March 30, a spokesman said.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the decision was taken at a meeting that lasted for about two hours between President Asif Ali Zardari and Gilani in Islamabad late Saturday, Dawn News reported Sunday.

“It was decided in response to the Indian prime minister’s invitation that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will visit India to witness the
semifinal cricket match,” Babar was quoted as saying said in a statement.

Gilani will “informally” meet Manmohan Singh during the match and a formal meeting will be held after the match at which bilateral matters will be discussed, Geo News reported citing official sources.

The sources said the two leaders will also hold discussions on “cricket diplomacy” to improve bilateral relations.

Officials of Pakistan’s sports ministry and the Pakistan Cricket Board will also attend the match.

Manmohan Singh Friday invited Zardari and Gilani to watch the semifinal.

The match will be played a day after home secretary-level talks between the two countries March 28-29.

Meanwhile, a petition has been filed in a Karachi court seeking to shift the semifinal out of India to a third country over fears for the safety of the team if Pakistan defeats India.

Advocate Abid Hassan, in his petition in the Sindh High Court in Karachi, claimed that Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray has threatened to attack the Pakistani players if they win, Geo News reported.

Hassan said he feared that if Pakistan defeated India, it could trigger riots.

However, a spokesperson of the Shiv Sena in Mumbai denied that Thackeray has issued such a threat and termed it “baseless”.

Hassan urged the Pakistan Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council to shift the match from Mohali to Sri Lanka or Dubai.