Advertisement - - Advertisement - - Advertisement - LAHORE, Jun 01 (APP):President Asif Ali Zardari has asked Pakistan Men’s cricket team to stay away from team politics and focus on their careers in sports as politics was not their domain. In a light-hearted comment during the reception hosted to Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket teams at the Governor’s House here on Sunday morning, he said cricketers 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 Asif Ali Zardari, perhaps, was referring to the general impression that the player politics was taking root within Pakistan Men’s cricket team. Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, Chairman PCB 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 himself took advantage of the opportunity as sports diplomacy and used cricket as a means to further 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. President Zardari 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. Recognizing transformative power of cricket as a sport which helps in uniting people throughout the world, he said to the Bangladesh cricketers, team officials and diplomats, “I am happy to host you all in Pakistan, in Lahore. And I’m hoping that there will be many such trips”. As cricket is about lasting friendships and harmony, President Zardari also expressed the 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 and I bless you and I hope that you’ll have an eventful good future,” President Zardari blessed cricketers from both the countries. President Asid Zardari had group photos with both the teams while he gave aways mementos to the officials of the visiting Bangladesh team. Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi presented to President Asif Ali Zardari a framed souvenir Pakistan team jersey with No. 1 and Asif Ali Zardari etched on it.