The 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), scheduled to begin on March 26, is facing uncertainty after the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) warned foreign players against participating in the tournament. A faction of the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar group advised overseas players to withdraw from the tournament, citing security concerns.The development comes a day after the league was reduced to a closed-door event at two venues, Karachi and Lahore, amid the ongoing situation in West Asia and related security concerns.Pakistan’s X controller ‘Islamabad Post’ shared a statement attributed to the TTP Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction, which warned foreign players to “prioritize their personal safety and withdraw from the tournament immediately.”“The people of Pakistan, specifically the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, are today enduring unprecedented hardships due to systemic military oppression and state-led violence. While our streets are marked with the funerals of our loved ones and our mothers mourn the disappearance of their sons, the organized spectacle of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) serves as a mockery of the entire suffering of our regions as a cruel spectacle. The act of ‘pouring salt into our ran’ which we categorically reject,” the statement said.It further reads: “We want to convey a clear and urgent message to all PSL participants, especially foreign players: The current internal security and political situation of the country is volatile and uncertain. In a climate where military operations and civil unrest dominate large parts of the territory, the safety of international athletes cannot be guaranteed. Given these dire circumstances, we strongly advise you to immediately prioritize your personal safety and withdraw from the tournament.”The group said it was not against cricket but questioned the timing of the tournament. “While we are not inherently opposed to healthy sporting activities, we refuse to tolerate state hypocrisy. It is unacceptable to promote an image of ‘normality’ through cricket matches in one part of the country while state-sponsored atrocities continue unabated in another. We will not allow the blood of oppressed people to be overshadowed by the lights of our stadium, nor will we allow it to be overshadowed by the lights of our stadium. be.compromised in the interest of political optics,” the statement reads.A spokesman for Jamaat-ul-Ahrar later confirmed the warning in an interview with The Sunday Guardian. “We want to advise the respective cricket boards not to send their players to Pakistan. If anything happens to them, it will not be our responsibility. We have already warned,” he said.Asked if that meant preventing matches from being played, he added: “Yes, we will do everything to prevent matches from taking place and players from playing.”This year’s PSL will feature several overseas players including David Warner, Steve Smith, Moeen Ali, Devon Conway and Adam Zampa. Their participation is part of efforts to bring international players back into the league.On Monday, Steve Smith arrived in Pakistan to join Multan Sultans and is all set to make his debut in the tournament after the recent Big Bash League campaign.Meanwhile, the league will be played without spectators as Pakistan deals with the fuel crisis. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that all matches will be held behind closed doors and limited to two venues.The tournament is scheduled for the period from March 26 to May 3.
