Threat to New Zealand Cricket Team Originated in India: Pakistan Minister
A threat to New Zealand’s cricket team that prompted them to call off a tour of Pakistan came in an email that originated in India, Pakistan’s information Minister said on Wednesday.
The Kiwis called off their first tour of Pakistan in 18 years last Friday due to a security threat to the team, followed by a decision by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday to cancel a bilateral series scheduled for next month in Pakistan
Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the threat had come via an email.
“This email was generated from India through a VPN showing the location of Singapore,” Chaudhry told reporters in Pakistan’s capital.
He said that the same device had 13 other IDs, nearly all of which were Indian names. “The device used to send the threat to the New Zealand team belonged to India. A fake ID was used but it was sent from Maharashtra,” he claimed.
Chaudhry added that the West Indies team, due to arrive in December, had also been sent a threat that he said was fake.
Arfa Feroz : BREAKING — Pakistan Government claims threats received to NewZealand Cricket through fake ID’s were operated from India
BREAKING — Pakistan Government claims threats received to NewZealand Cricket through fake ID's were operated from India pic.twitter.com/OPJKslff2g
— Arfa Feroz Zake (@ArfaSays_) September 22, 2021
India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to request for comment. Nuclear-armed neighbours and arch-rivals Pakistan and India regularly blame each other for acts of violence, charges each government denies.