Cold shouldered by IPL, Malik says India ‘insulted’ Pakistan

Zeecric Bureau Islamabad: Humiliated by the IPL franchise snub to top Pakistani cricketers, the nation has come out in the open to lodge a strong protest against the treatment. Echoing the sentiment Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that his country was ‘insulted and would take appropriate action against the humiliation’. “The recent IPL snub has clearly not gone down well and it is definitely not good for the Indo-Pak ties. We are thinking on options to boycott all sporting ties with India unless the matter is resolved,” Malik was quoted as saying.PML-N will boycott all visits to India Meanwhile, the main opposition PML-N MPs today decided to boycott all official visits to New Delhi and asked the government to snap all sporting ties with India. Senior PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who is also Leader of Opposition, announced his party`s stance while speaking in the National Assembly or lower house of parliament. He said no PML-N leader will travel to India with an official delegation till the neighbouring country "changes its attitude" towards Pakistan. Khan called on the government to boycott all sports activities with India. He also called for the banning of Indian films in Pakistan. Diplomatic sources said no Pakistani parliamentary delegation is scheduled to visit India in the near future. Twenty20 champions Pakistan were stunned after none of the country?s 11 players were signed up during the IPL auction yesterday. The Pakistan Cricket Board reacted with anger and disappointment. CB Chairman Ijaz Butt said he was "highly disappointed" by the manner in which his players were treated as his organisation had obtained permission from the Foreign Office and other clearances for the players.Butt said he had asked Sports Minister Ijaz Jakhrani to speak to his Indian counterpart about the issue. Pakistan`s Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi`s manager Umar Khan told a website that franchises were advised not to bid for Pakistani players because they "would not be issued with visas by the Indian government." He added: "I think the players have been wronged." Meanwhile, reacting to the IPL teams not choosing any of the Pakistani players in its tournament, Interior Minister Rahman Malik said, India can also expect the same treatment from Pakistan. "India or any other country that does not give respect to Pakistan will be treated the same way by us. If there is a desire to improve Indo-Pak friendship, respect should be given to Pakistani sportspersons," Malik was quoted as saying by a TV channel.