Pakistan cricket chiefs have lashed out at Australia’s “double standards” following the decision to proceed with the upcoming four-Test tour of India despite the recent New Delhi bombings.
The Australians haven’t toured Pakistan for a decade because of security concerns but the impact of deadly bomb blasts in the Indian capital hasn’t changed the forthcoming tour’s status.
“I think if Australia tour India it will only highlight their double standards on security issues,” said the PCB’s chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi.
“Pakistan is as safe a country as India and we had even promised state-level security for the Australians and other teams.
“We have said constantly terrorists attacks can take place anywhere.
“No country is safer than the other and this point was highlighted after the unfortunate and sad incident in Delhi.
“We find it hard to comprehend that when Australian cricketers can tour a country which has had a succession of bomb attacks what is so different about coming to Pakistan.”
The decision has further heightened tensions between the PCB and Cricket Australia (CA).
Australia’s 2002 tour of Pakistan was relocated to neutral venues and Ricky Ponting’s team’s scheduled tour earlier this year was abandoned because of ongoing concerns.
And Australia were one of four nations that voiced concerns that effectively forced the postponement of this year’s Champions Trophy in the Muslim state.
Cricketers from Australia and New Zealand have this week taken to the field in India, seemingly shrugging off security concerns in the nation.
Australia’s 15-man squad is due to leave for India this weekend with the first Test starting October 9 at Bangalore.
Australia are due to play warmup matches in Jaipur and Hyderabad with both cities having been the targets of bombings in the past 13 months.
Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Paul Marsh responded to the PCB’s comments by saying the body had been guided by information from independent security experts.
“We rely on the independent people to give us the advice and it is nothing about India or Pakistan over this, it is about the situation in any given country,” he told AAP.
A Cricket Australia spokesman said security had already been upgraded for the current Australia A tour and would remain in place for the senior team.
He said the decision not to tour Pakistan and to go to India was based on the available security information.
“Dispassionately we have received different information on those different countries,” the spokesman said.
