BCCI PAID HEED TO PAK ALLIES WARNING AGAINST TRAVEL

On 10 September, the US State Department asked Americans to 'reconsider travel to Pakistan due to terrorism,' placing the country at Level 3, just below Level 4, which explicitly advises against travel.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is attributing "political reasons" to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI's) decision not to send the Indian cricket team to Pakistan to participate in the Champions Trophy scheduled for February and March next year, the reasons have actually to do with the threat assessment by Pakistan's own allies.

The upcoming tournament in 2025 will mark the first major ICC event hosted solely by Pakistan since the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team.

As per the current situation, major allies of Pakistan, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and China, have asked their citizens not to travel to Pakistan because of the security situation in the country.

On 10 September, the US State Department asked US citizens to "reconsider travel to Pakistan due to terrorism," placing it at Level 3, just below Level 4, which explicitly advises against travel.

Similarly, as per the latest notice by the Foreign Ministry of the United Kingdom, the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) has advised "against all travel to parts of Pakistan".