'Pak hockey team under security threat in India'

Pakistan's hockey team leaves on Monday for the World Cup in New Delhi amid warnings from a security expert that there is a genuine threat to the players' safety in India.

Sohail Khan, a high ranking police official in the Interior ministry who has worked with many foreign cricket teams as their security expert in Pakistan, said the PHF should not relax at all during the World Cup.

"All the talk about being satisfied with the security arrangements is fine and I am sure the Indians will also be providing good security cover for all teams including Pakistan but we need to be on our guard all the time," Khan said.

Sohail said the players should remain on guard all the time.

"As far as Pakistani players and officials are concerned there are genuine security threats for them in India and they must be very careful and follow a proper security plan during the World Cup," Khan said.

PHF secretary Asif Bajwa, who will go to India as manager of the team, said he was satisfied with the arrangements made by the Indian federation.

"They have promised to provide our team with state level security so we are happy to leave security issues in their hand, we are going to India with a clear mind to promote peace and hopefully to play our role in some way to improve relations between the two countries," Bajwa said.