LAHORE, AUG 23: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi said on Saturday that Pakistan would not beg India for holding talks. Speaking to media in Lahore, Naqvi said, “We will talk to India only on the basis of equality.” He denied his role in the team selection. He expressed optimism about the team’s performance in the forthcoming tri-nation series and Asia Cup 2025.
“You will now see the team’s good performance. I have asked the selectors to uphold meritocracy in terms of selecting the players,” Naqvi added.
“Everything will come in favour of Pakistan on the basis of performance. We are looking to bring new faces in the setup,” he maintained.
Moreover, Naqvi hoped that the good news would also surface from the Pakistan women’s cricket team, asserting, “The politics within the Pakistan women’s team have been reduced.”
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Separately on Friday, it was reported that Pakistan has once again extended an offer for comprehensive talks with India, with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar making it clear that discussions will not be limited to a single-point agenda but will address all contentious issues, including the Kashmir dispute.
Speaking in an informal conversation with senior journalists in Islamabad, Ishaq Dar said that despite tensions, Pakistan has consistently demonstrated a desire for peace. “Desire for peace, even after winning the war, is a characteristic of Pakistan,” he remarked.
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Dar confirmed that the ceasefire is being implemented, adding that India itself had approached the United States for mediation. “We received a call from the US, and I made it clear that Pakistan does not want war at all,” he said, while criticizing India for its “unnecessary war rhetoric.”
Clarifying Pakistan’s position, Dar said Islamabad did not request anyone to arrange talks with India. “We were asked to sit at a neutral location, and I said if the meeting is at a neutral venue, then we will do it,” he explained. He stressed that any dialogue must be comprehensive and inclusive of all outstanding disputes, particularly Kashmir.
