No final decision taken yet on Indo-Pak cricket series: MHA

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday said that no final decision had yet been taken on the proposed bilateral series between India and Pakistan.

According to ANI, Kiren Rijiju stated that MHA has not taken a decision in this regard.

However, he added that the sentiments of people cannot be kept aside while taking a decision to engage with Pakistan whether in politics or sports.

The news came a day after the Indian government gave green signal to an India-Pakistan series expected to be held in UAE in December this year, according to reports.

The approval earlier had come after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Shahryar Khan met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

The government was of the view that sports should not be mixed with politics, sources said there will be no compromise with Pakistan on issue of terrorism.

During the past few days, Shahryar also held meetings with BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya and BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur.

Earlier in a ground-breaking move, cricket administrators from India and Pakistan agreed to play five bilateral series in eight years, first of which is tentatively scheduled to take place in December this year.

"The series will start in December as per schedule and it will comprise three Tests, five ODIs and two T20s. The preparation is on in full swing. We have to overcome the final hurdle. You may know as per the MOU there will be five series between the two countries in eight years," Shahryar said.

Shahryar also said that he had come to Kolkata to specially convey his congratulations to Dalmiya​, who was recently elected as the president of Indian cricket board.

He went on to emphasise that along with Dalmiya, he revived the most important cricket series in the world in 2004 as well.

Dalmiya also sounded hopeful of reviving the series but said that without the support of government, the series will not go forward.

The last series between India and Pakistan was held in 2012-13 when Pakistan visited India for a three-match One Day International and two-match Twenty20 International series. Pakistan had won the ODI series 2-1, while the T20 series ended 1-1.

It was Pakistan's first cricket tour of India in five years, after the infamous Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, which stalled all bilateral ties between the two countries.