NEW DELHI: Rebel groups in Pakistan have warned international cricketers to immediately withdraw from the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL), throwing the 11th edition of the tournament into a security crisis days before its March 26 start.
The statement, issued by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson Asad Mansoor, framed the T20 league as a “cruel mockery” of the suffering in regions such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The “notice” by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar warns international cricketers to withdraw from the PSL, claiming that the safety of international players cannot be guaranteed given the current volatile and precarious security landscape.
The group stated that they would not allow “the dignity of the people to be compromised for the sake of political optics” nor would they allow “the blood of the oppressed to be eclipsed by the lights of a stadium.”
“In a climate where military operations and civil unrest dominate significant portions of the territory, the safety of international athletes cannot be guaranteed. Given these dire circumstances, we strongly advise them to prioritize their personal safety and withdraw. The staged spectacle of the PSL serves as a cruel mockery of our suffering,” he said.
This threat comes at a sensitive time as Pakistan has been embroiled in an escalation of rebel activity, prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to restrict the tournament to just two venues, Karachi and Lahore, and also keep spectators away.
Despite the ultimatum, the PCB stated that the tournament would go ahead as planned.