Being unfair to Pakistan

From Maha Hussain, Pakistan
So we are back to the beginning, with the debate about where the Champions Trophy will be held and the concerns of various players and teams. I thought it had already been decided the event would proceed in Pakistan, but here we go again. It may or may not make a difference to anyone, but I am writing as a sixteen-year-old, Pakistani cricket fan who feels she should voice her opinion since nobody else is doing anything to help Pakistan's chances.

This piece may be strongly worded and possibly offensive to some, but writing is my way of venting my feelings of anger and frustration, and I shall do so without hesitation. I want to ask all the players from all the countries who have problems with Pakistan: Do you seriously think terrorists are interested in bombing you up? You are not willing to tour Pakistan for the reason that you are afraid of your safety among terrorist attacks and political violence. Ironically, when seventeen blasts went off in the Indian cities of Bangalore and Ahmadabad, I never once heard of any reluctance of the part of the Australians or the English about touring the country later this year. So is this what cricket has come to?

Blind love for money and disdain for a country at odds with itself and facing enough grief already? Alright, you can go ahead and refuse to tour. There is probably just enough time, difficult and costly though it may be, to move the tournament to Sri Lanka, a much, much safer and more peaceful place to play cricket in, don't you think?

If you had already made up your minds to boycott the event in Pakistan, why on earth did you wait until three weeks before the start to listen to security briefings, only to stubbornly shake your heads and say you have not been convinced? You have caused immense trouble for the ICC, as if the numerous problems it is already encountering were not enough. Geoff Lawson flew down to the Southern Hemisphere for the sake of persuading the Australian and New Zealand cricketers to agree to come, because he lives in Pakistan and he feels safe. He lives in Lahore, one of the largest cities in the country, and possibly very susceptible to attacks of violence and terror.

Is he not Australian? Does he not spend his days without fear in the country you all are so afraid to enter? Terrorism plagues parts of Pakistan, but we are not alone; several other countries experience such situations. Have you forgotten the blasts in London days before the start of the 2005 Ashes? Or the repeated attacks in Sri Lanka? Or the bombs in Jaipur earlier this year, during the IPL? Did you all rush out of India fearing for your lives? No, you stayed and played. The captain of one of the national teams continued to play in the very city it all happened in. What motivated you to continue playing there, but prevents you from coming to Pakistan?

Is it because you are showered with money, or glory, or whatever it is you want, when you take part in such lucrative events, but Pakistan has not much to offer you and the Champions Trophy has little significance for you? I feel you all owe an explanation to the people of Pakistan: why are we being singled out? Why are we the only nation to be treated like this, to be isolated from good competitive cricket, despite the fact that foreign cricketers here are respected and honoured a dozen times more than they are in their own countries?

Pakistan is terribly unfortunate to be caught in this web of political turmoil, a mess not in the slightest being helped by the idea that four countries are refusing to tour for a cricket tournament. The arrogance and disdain with which you view the situation in Pakistan has aggrieved many, many people desperate for some good games of cricket to look forward to, a positive light in a time of darkness and difficulty for our country. Terrorists and suicide attackers do not want to target sporting teams, and with the amount of security being arranged for you it is hard to see what your problem is.

Politics and sports do not mix, as countless influential Pakistanis have repeatedly mentioned. Your lives are by no means being taken lightly; every effort is being made to ensure a risk-free tournament, but it still doesn't seem to be enough to convince you. In truth, your safety cannot be guaranteed anywhere in the world. You, and your families, may well be afraid for your safety, but just take another, less biased, look at the things being done to satisfy you. Some of you feel that the security plans are brilliant but implementing them would be difficult for a country experiencing political trouble. Why, I ask you, would such complex plans be made if they could not be implemented? I'm positive we have the means to arrange everything perfectly, it is just your condescending attitude towards us that makes you feel Pakistan does not have the resources to provide you sufficient security.

Go ahead and say you will not tour, have the Champions Trophy moves to wherever you like, and enjoy playing in that risk-free new environment with the satisfaction that, in the end, you had your way with the ICC.

After all, it hardly matters that because of your stubborn and uncompromising attitude, so many millions of people, who were hopeful of a fortnight of vigorous cricket action in their country, will have their expectations ground into dust. It really doesn't matter, does it, because your problem has been solved. It really makes no difference to you what becomes of cricket in a nation with such a glorious history in the game. It makes no difference at all, in the end, because you are safe. Because you feel safe. And that is the way of this new cricketing world.