Pakistan will not play in Kabaddi World Cup: IKF

New Delhi, Oct 5 (IANS) The International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) on Wednesday announced that Pakistan will not play in the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup due to the prevailing political tension with India, which is hosting the event.

"Pakistan is a valuable member and stakeholder of the federation, but in view of the current political atmosphere, we have decided, in the best of the sport, that this World Cup should be played without Pakistan," International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) Chief Executive Officer Devraj Chaturvedi told IANS.

Pakistan is one of the top contenders for the Kabaddi World Cup along with Iran and defending champions India.

However, Pakistan have never won the title. Hosts India have won both World Cups -- in 2004 and 2007 -- beating Iran in the final on both occasions.

But the south Asian nation has been on a run of good form this year, defeating India at the six-nation Kabaddi Cup held in Pakistan in May and in the final of the Asian Beach Games in Vietnam last month.

Tension has been simmering between India and Pakistan since a terror attack killed 19 Indian soldiers in an army base in the town of Uri in Kashmir.

The Indian Army replied last week with 'surgical strikes' by multiple commando teams at seven terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control which led to increased tension on the border.

--IANS

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