The Hockey team of Pakistan has officially withdrawn from the upcoming Men’s Asia Cup 2025, planned in Rajgir, India, from 27 August to 7 September, according to a civil servant of Hockey India.
Speaking with an Indian newspaper, the official confirmed the development and stated that the Indian government was willing to spend visa on the Pakistani contingent.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), however, refused to send his team to India because of security -related care.
According to the officer, the PHF communicated his decision in a letter to the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) on Wednesday. The letter mentioned security problems as the main reason to withdraw from the tournament.
“In the light of Pakistan’s decision, we have now expanded an invitation to Bangladesh to participate in the Asia Cup,” added Hockey India’s officer.
The official also claimed that visa applications for the Pakistan team were submitted at the end of July, as a result of which questions were asked about the timing of the withdrawal of the PHF.
Uncertainty also surrounds Pakistan’s participation in the Junior Hockey World Cup, planned to be held in India in November-December, because the presence of the Junior team of Pakistan remains doubtful.
This decision comes in accordance with a broader policy that was recently implemented by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), which imposed a general ban on all national sports federations in July by participating in events in India without prior consultation and approval.
“Keep the PSB council, keeping in view of the prevailing security problems, in its 34th meeting on July 23, 2025, it decided that no National Sports Federation (NSF) undertakes to participate in a sporting event in India without prior consultation with the Pakistan Sports Board,” explained the notification.
In the midst of escalating political tensions between the two countries, the Pakistani government also chose to send its hockey team to India, with reference to serious security problems for the players.
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