Pahalgam terror attack: Volleyball tournament shifted from Pakistan to Uzbekistan

The Central Asian volleyball tournament, from which India has withdrawn in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam, has been shifted from Islamabad to Tashkent in Uzbekistan, an official of the Pakistan federation said on Saturday.

A senior official of the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) said the Central Asia Volleyball Association (CAVA) has taken the decision to shift the event to Uzbekistan.

“It is a huge disappointment for Pakistan volleyball even though India had withdrawn. But we fully understand the CAVA’s General Body’s decision,” the official said.

The scheduled dates of the



tournament, to be contested between Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, have not been changed.

On April 27, PVF official Abdul Ahad said India had withdrawn from the tournament, which was earlier to be held in Islamabad on May 28.

Tension between the two neighbouring countries has grown following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were killed.

"The Indian volleyball officials have informed the regional body that their government has cancelled the NOC issued to them for the tournament after the incident in Pahalgam," Ahad had said.