ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cricket chief and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday the national women’s team would not travel to India for the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, reiterating Islamabad’s position that matches involving Pakistan should be held at a neutral venue under a hybrid model.
Naqvi’s remarks came shortly after Pakistan concluded their ICC World Cup Qualifier campaign unbeaten, sealing their spot in the tournament with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Lahore.
“It is up to India to decide where the matches will be held since they are the hosts,” he told reporters at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. “Our team is ready to play wherever, but it will not travel to India.”
The hybrid model was implemented earlier this year during the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy hosted by Pakistan, allowing India to play their matches at neutral venues.
During the event, India played their matches in Dubai, citing security concerns, while other participating teams traveled to Pakistan.
The arrangement also drew criticism from several teams, who felt disadvantaged by India’s familiarity with the playing conditions in Dubai.
Pakistan women’s team have delivered a stellar performance in the World Cup Qualifiers, winning all five of their matches.
The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be held from September 29 to October 26. With Pakistan’s qualification, the ICC will need to determine a neutral venue for their matches, adhering to the agreed-upon hybrid model.
Pakistan cricket chief says women’s team will not travel to India for 2025 World Cup
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Pakistan cricket chief says women’s team will not travel to India for 2025 World Cup
- Pakistan women’s team delivered stellar performance in the World Cup Qualifiers, winning all matches
- Mohsin Naqvi says matches involving Pakistan should be held at a neutral venue during the tournament
Pakistan urges diplomacy on Iran nuclear issue, warns sanctions would hurt civilians
- Pakistan warns the situation has become more complex since Israel’s attack on Iran and US bombing of nuclear sites
- It cautions against invoking the snapback mechanism, saying sanctions will further deepen mistrust, derail diplomacy
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan demanded on Tuesday that diplomacy be given a chance in addressing all issues related to Iran’s nuclear program, warning the United Nations Security Council that sanctions would hurt ordinary Iranians, as tensions remain heightened following this year’s war between Israel and Iran.
Pakistan’s comments came amid renewed debate at the Security Council over Iran’s nuclear program and the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which sought to limit Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
The conflict in June was dubbed the Twelve-Day War and erupted after Israel carried out a surprise attack on Iranian military and nuclear facilities while international diplomacy was still underway. The strikes derailed negotiations, with the United States later bombing Iranian nuclear sites and declaring that the attacks had substantially degraded Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Addressing the Security Council, Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative Ambassador Usman Jadoon said Islamabad believed that “diplomacy and dialogue should be the guiding principles for the resolution of all outstanding issues concerning Iran’s nuclear program in accordance with the rights, obligations and responsibilities of the parties concerned.”
“Coercive measures would not help in bringing the parties closer and only exacerbate the trust deficit,” he said. “Sanctions directly hurt ordinary people the most, impact trade, affect economic development and diminish the prospects of regional connectivity.”
Jadoon said the council last met on the issue in September following developments related to the JCPOA’s “snapback” mechanism — a provision that allows the automatic re-imposition of UN sanctions on Iran in cases of alleged non-compliance — adding that Pakistan opposed what it viewed as a rushed move and cautioned against hasty action.
He said Pakistan’s stance was grounded in the belief that disputes over Iran’s nuclear program should be resolved through dialogue, with more time allowed for diplomacy to succeed, while preserving the JCPOA framework until a successor arrangement is reached.
The ambassador said divisions within the council had widened in recent months, further complicating efforts to resolve the issue.
While acknowledging that the JCPOA was not implemented as intended, Jadoon said the agreement had nonetheless provided an essential framework rooted in international law and mutual respect, and could still prove useful if there was a shared willingness to move forward in a spirit of compromise.
He stressed the need to revive the agreement’s underlying principles and restore trust in diplomatic engagement that had been damaged in recent months, urging all parties to avoid confrontation and work toward a solution-oriented approach.
