Visa was not denied to Pakistani cricketers: Tharoor

Government today said it had not denied visas to Pakistani cricketers coming for Indian Premier League (IPL) and blamed the organisers for not informing the authorities about the deadline for issuance of visas to play in the tournament.

Government today said it had not denied visas to Pakistani cricketers coming for Indian Premier League (IPL) and blamed the organisers for not informing the authorities about the deadline for issuance of visas to play in the tournament.

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"It was not that the visas were denied...simply that our authorities were not conscious of the deadline until the IPL
Chairman made the statement (that the Pakistani players cannot take part in the tournament as they failed to complete the deadline for the visa formalities)," Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor said here.

He saidm "I think at the same time the organisers of the tournament should also make it clear the certain deadline had
been made because two ministries are involved.

"The Home Ministry also has a view in these matters and so, yes, it would have been helpful...".

Meanwhile, with visa applications of the Pakistani cricketers being cleared, PCB chairman Ejaz Butt said he would
request IPL authorities to do away with the deadline conditions set for the players' participation in the cash-rich
Twenty-20 event.

The four players whose visa applications have been cleared are Sohail Tanvir, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Gul and Kamran
Akmal.