The Foreign Ministry has cleared the national hockey team's visit to India for a four-nation tournament to be played in Chandigarh and Jalandhar from January 31 next year, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) informed on Thursday.
PHF Secretary, Asif Bajwa told reporters that the Pakistan foreign ministry had given signal for the visit which was in doubt after tensions escalated between the two neighbouring countries following last weeks Mumbai terror attacks.
"Pakistan hockey team will be visiting India for a four-nation tourney starting next month," said Bajwa.Apart India and Pakistan .Germany and the Netherlands would also be participating in the double leg tournament.
Pakistan's visit was also in jeopardy after Indian government shunned their junior hockey team's tour last month due security fears.
The PHF later claimed that the cancellation of the five-match Test series between the junior sides has hit them hard financially as it lost close to Rs six million.Bajwa also said both the Indian and Pakistani hockey administrators have decided to conduct regular matches on a home-and-away basis for the next five years in the International Hockey Federation's congress in Los Angeles recently.
He said Pakistan will host a major eight-nation international tournament next year as a tribute to slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.However, he informed that the tournament will be held at a neutral venue due to security situation.
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