Pakistan denies visas to Indian wrestlers

A planned wrestling tournament between India and Pakistan in Karachi has been reduced to a free-style national-level affair after Indian wrestlers were not issued visas to travel to Lahore for the event.

The chief organiser of the proposed Indo-Pak wrestling competition Nadeem Pehalwan said even though they are organising the event with the approval of the Pakistan Sports Board he is not aware as to why Indian wrestlers were not issued visas to travel to Pakistan.

"We have just been informed the Indian wrestlers can't come because they didn't get visas. We are trying to get more details from the sports board," he said.

He said the organisers had planned a big event between Pakistani and Indian old-style wrestlers.

"We were expecting a sell out crowd but now we have been forced to convert it to an all-Pakistani free style championship with many of our well known wrestlers also backing out now," Nadeem said.

A member of the task force on sports approved by the Pakistan Sports Board also said that an inquiry is being held  into reports that some Pakistani wrestlers traveled without permission to India to take part in a wrestling competition.

"We are finding out the details because these wrestlers went without any permission or approval," the task force head Ejaz Gul said.