Pakistanis feeling at home

On October 3 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, the Pakistan contingent was the 51st team among 71 participating nations to enter pitch in the opening ceremony of the XIX Commonwealth Games and got tremendous applause from the crowd.
That moment apparently indicated that despite the bitter political rivalry between the two neighbouring nations since their birth in 1947, there is friendliness between the people of the two nations. Pakistan contingent's chef de mission Mohamed Ali Shah believes the Games would work as a bridge to develop the relation between two nations at state level.
After the Mumbai blast in 2008, the relationship between the two rivalry nations deteriorated seriously. Pakistani athletes were reportedly denied Indian visa and Pakistani cricketers were terminated from their respective Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises.
It was also reported that India lost their interest about hosting the SAFF Football Championship last year because of the participation of Pakistan and as a result Bangladesh hosted the regional football championship.
"I think the expulsion of Pakistani cricketers from IPL was a temporary step, and I believe the players from Pakistan will not face any obstacle in future," said Shah yesterday over the phone.
The chef de mission also praised India's arrangements for the games.
"The preparation for the Games as well as the village condition are excellent. India have proved that they can stage such big events as the Commonwealth Games," said Shah, who was also overwhelmed by the applause from the spectators on the gala ceremony.
Like the chef de mission, Pakistani shooter Tanzeem Abbasi, the lone female athlete in the 48-member contingent, was also ecstatic about being in India for the Games.
"I am delighted to be here because it feels just like home. I don't feel like I am away from home at all and everybody in the team feels the same way too," said Tanzeem.
Nasar Iqbal, a journalist from Daily Jung covering the Games in Delhi, said that the Pakistan government has given priority to send their team despite the games having a negative publicity and it was bold on part of Pakistan to support India.
Shah also thinks India would be able to organise Olympics after the near-successful Commonwealth Games and that India should be given a chance to host the Olympics within next 15 to 20 years.
The Pakistan chef de mission believes hosting the Commonwealth Games in subcontinent would not only inspire India in future but also encourage other nations of the region to host big international sporting events.