• President seeks to strengthen bilateral ties with Bangladesh.
• Zardari hopes more such cricket tours to take place.
• He expresses his desire to visit Dhaka.

President Asif Ali Zardari asked Pakistan men’s cricket team players to stay away from team politics and focus on their career in sports as politics is not their domain.

On a lighter note, the president commented, during the reception hosted for Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket teams at the Governor’s House Lahore on Sunday, saying crickets should leave politics to politicians like him as it was not their forte.

Referring to his struggle as a politician when he was incarcerated for 14 years for being a politician, he said, “please leave politics to people like us who can go to prison for 14 years.”

President Zardari, perhaps, was referring to the general impression that the player politics was taking root within Pakistan men’s cricket team.

Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan Muhammad Iqbal Hussain, BCB cricket Operations Head Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, Advisor to Chairman PCB Amir Mir, team officials, and members of Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket teams were present on the occasion.

However, the president took advantage of the opportunity as sports diplomacy and used cricket as a means to strengthen social, diplomatic and political relations with Bangladesh.

He reinforced the message that Pakistan intends to forge strong bilateral relations with Bangladesh in all areas — including commerce, trade, sports, culture and people-to-people ties.

Furthermore, he told the young cricketers from both the countries that they were not aware of the pangs of cessation of 1971 like the older generations like him when two brothers parted ways.

He said it was the time to mend broken hearts on both sides of the frontiers.

The message of hope, mutual understanding, reconciliation and brotherhood was loud and clear throughout President Zardari’s address to the cricketers, diplomats, cricket officials and people across the border.

Recognising the transformative power of cricket as a sports that helps people to unite throughout the world, the president said to Bangladeshi players, team officials and diplomats, “I am happy to host you all in Pakistan, in Lahore. And I’m hoping that there will be many more such trips.”

As cricket is about lasting friendships and harmony, President Zardari also expressed his desire to visit Bangladesh, adding that he had not been to Dhaka for a long time.

He fondly recalled his student days at the Pitaro Cadet College, Jamshoro and the lasting friendships he made during those days with Bangladeshi friends, adding that he was in close contact with Bangladeshi college friends even today.

The president hailed the Bangladesh tigers for their immense talent and wished them a great future.

He also lavished praise on the young Pakistan team and expressed the hope it will do well on the international front.

“The world is young; you are young and it’s your time. We’ve seen our time, this is your time.”

All of you are going to see the future. I bless you, hoping that you’ll have an eventful good future,” President Zardari said to the cricketers from both countries.

President Asif Zardari had group photos with both the teams while he gave aways mementos to the officials of the visiting Bangladesh team.

PCB Chairman Moshin Naqvi presented President Zardari a framed souvenir of Pakistan cricket team jersey with his name scripted on it.