On Monday, Pakistan equestrian team arrived in India for participating in the qualifying matches for the International Tent-pegging Federation World Cup Champions, which is all set to be held in South Africa in 2023.
A seven-member Pakistani team participated in qualifiers match on Tuesday in Noida, which is jointly organised by the Indian Army-run Equestrian Foundation of India, a private company called Equiwing Sports. In which Pakistan bagged gold in the Individual lance match, whereas India won gold in the team lance competition.
On February 25, India and Pakistan both had signed an agreement to not breach the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LOC) and the International Border.
Since then no incidents have taken place along the LOC.
The Equestrian game is presumed to be the first time played in India. In this game, a horse-mounted rider grabs a sharp instrument to pierce or pick up a target on the ground.
Both nations’, the Director-General of Military Operation had signed on the statement on 25 February, in which they “agreed to address each other’s core issues and concerns which have the propensity to disturb the peace and lead to violation”.
The statement further mentioned this was in the interest of “achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders”.
Brijesh Mathur, President of the committee that organised the event on behalf of the Equestrian Foundation of India (EFI) said “visas procedure completed in last 20 days for Pakistani team” and EFI and the government made it possible.
Amer Munawar, Secretary-general of the Pakistani team told, that he didn’t have the expectation to play in the game. “The visas came after a long wait. I thought we would not be able to come. But we made it”.
India is hosting the Group-B qualifiers events, in which India, Pakistan, USA, Belarus and Nepal are playing for making a confirmed seat in the World Cup in South Africa 2023. In which top two teams will qualify.
Also, read:
CBI books 17 personnel of armed force, their relatives in Army recruitment scam
From stations to telecom towers, pipelines to roads: 8 ministries list assets for monetisation