Zardari may attend Pak-India cricket match

Internews /Islamabad

January 3 may prove to be a historic day on the Indian city Kolkata’s calendar. Apart from the high octane One-Day International cricket match between India and Pakistan at Eden Gardens, Kolkata may be witness to revival of diplomacy between the two nations that hit the rock bottom after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

If Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari confirms his presence, it will be after a long time that the president of the two countries will grace a cricket match. President Pranab Mukherjee is already scheduled to attend the match.

Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who will be in the city on January 3, to attend the Science Congress meet at Yuva Bharati stadium, may drop in at the stadium with an aim to improve India-Pakistan ties through cricket.

However, the news has sent the city police into a tizzy and they are already on their toes trying to beef up security in specified zones.  

Sources said that traffic movement will be greatly curtailed on that day to ensure full-proof security to such high-profile VVIPs.

In a bid to renew cricket diplomacy, talks are also on to provide tickets to cricket supporters from Pakistan which seems to have soured all the more after Ajmal Kasab’s death penalty.

However, stringent visa rules may act as a dampener and spoil attempts of Pakistan cricket lovers to reach Kolkata.

Though Zardari’s visit has not been confirmed yet, the state government doesn’t want to leave any loopholes while attending to the international guest. Thus arrangements have begun in full swing, fearing a last minute confirmation.

The NSG will be flying down to check the security threats for the top VVIPs inside the stadium as well as on their way from the stadium to the race course.