Federal Interior Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday said that Pakistan’s decision to boycott the World Cup match against India was intended solely to show solidarity with Bangladesh and was not linked to any conditions or political demands.

Speaking to journalists at Peshawar Cricket Stadium, Naqvi said, “Our objective was to give respect to Bangladesh. People can say whatever they want. There were no conditions.”

He stressed that national interest remained the top priority. “Pakistan comes first, everything else comes later,” he said.

The interior minister said meetings of the Apex Committee had been held, followed by further consultations, to review security and governance matters.

He praised the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) for its recent performance, saying it had played a crucial role in maintaining security. “CTD has done outstanding work and deserves full credit,” he said.

Highlighting the province’s contribution to national cricket, Naqvi said nearly 60 per cent of players in the Pakistan team belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“There is immense talent in KP,” he said, adding that two provincial teams were being formed to provide more opportunities to young players.

He said the government was committed to promoting sports and creating platforms for emerging players to progress at national and international levels.

Naqvi also reiterated that security and stability remained central to government policy and that federal and provincial institutions were working closely to address challenges.