Bali against India-Pak World Cup tie in Dharamsala

Shimla: Kangra MLA and transport minister G S Bali threatened to carry out mass protests if the India-Pak 2016 Twenty20 cricket World Cup match next month is not shifted out of Dharamsala.

“Two soldiers from Himachal have recently been killed by Pakistani terrorists.The wounds are fresh and this is not a time for playing a cricket match in the hill state,” Bali told reporters here Thursday.

“Locals are against this match. And the chief minister, an ex chief minister along with the ex-servicemen association is against this match,” he said.

“If in ten days the BCCI does not shift this match out of Dharamsala we will hold mass protests,” Bali warned.

According to one estimate up to 3000 Pakistani cricket fans could turn up to watch the match which is considered the biggest match of the World Cup between arch rivals India and Pakistan.

The BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur hails from Himachal Pradesh and is under pressure to shift our the match from the state.