'Online' news agency story carries 'cooked up quotations' by Pakistan Cricket Board

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Event:

Pakistan in India 2004/05

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DateLine: 18th February 2005

 

Media Release - 18 February 2005

 

This is apropos a news item published in the Lahore edition of an English daily carrying a story by news agency 'Online'. PCB regrets that the report is not only malicious in intent but it also carries cooked up quotations ascribed to a senior PCB official. The facts are as follows:

 

After his meeting with the Indian Foreign Minister, Mr Natwar Singh, PCB Chairman denied reports that Pakistan had agreed to play a One-Day Match in Ahmedabad. AFP correctly reported him as saying "our stance on not playing in Ahmedabad is based on Security. Reports that Pakistan had cleared Ahmedabad or we are ready to play a One-Day Match there are baseless." The AFP story was carried by the Lahore edition of The News on 18th February, 2005.

 

PCB categorically states that no correspondent of news agency 'Online' spoke to the PCB Spokesman or any other official and the entire report is fictitious and reflective of Online Correspondent's irresponsible journalistic ethics.

 

The Press Release issued by the PCB on the morning of 17th February clearly reflects the essence of the meeting between the Indian Foreign Minister and Mr Shaharyar M Khan.

 

Media Department
PCB

(Article: Copyright © 2005 Pakistan Cricket Board)