Pakistan has withdrawn from the Junior Hockey World Cup scheduled to be held in India in November-December, the international hockey federation (FIH) confirmed to PTI on Friday.

FIH stated that Pakistan’s replacement team for the event from November 28 to December 28, in Chennai and Madurai, will be announced soon.

“We can confirm that the Pakistan Hockey Federation has notified the International Hockey Federation (FIH) that its team, initially qualified for the upcoming FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025, won’t participate eventually," said FIH in a statement released to PTI.

“The team replacing Pakistan for this event will be announced soon," the statement added.

The sporting ties between the two nations have been strained since the April 22 Pahalagam terror attack and India’s retaliation in the form of Operation Sindoor.

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Rana Mujahid felt the current situation is not conducive while citing the hostilities between the cricket teams of the two neighbours during the 2025 Asia Cup in the UAE.

“Yes, we feel the situation is not conducive under the current situation," Mujahid was quoted as saying by Telecom Asia Sport. “The recent Asia Cup cricket event has proved that India has extreme emotions against Pakistan. Their players did not shake hands with our players and then they refused to receive the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, which was shameful. We cannot send our players to a country which has so much negative emotions."

This is the second major tournament that a Pakistani hockey team has withdrawn from this year. Pakistan had pulled out of the men’s Asia Cup in August following which Bangladesh were invited as a replacement.

“We know it’s a great loss for the junior team. But at this point, with so much negative emotion in India, the decision is apt and wise," Mujahid said.

Source: News18