India withdraws from Tour de Pakistan

Lahore, March 3 (UNI) In what came as a major surprise to the Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF), India has refused to participate in the Rs 1.2 million Pakistan's Tour de Cycle race at the eleventh hour due to security concerns.

According to the PCF sources, India opted out of the event, scheduled to start tomorrow citing security concerns cyclists in the wake of the Samjhauta Express blasts.

''Though India has refused to take part in the event due to security concerns, teams from New Zealand and Canada have already arrived in the country,'' PCF secretary Idrees Haider Khawja told a Pakistani TV channel yesterday.

He further added that cyclists from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran and Afghanistan would also be participating in the race.

UNI