Miandad cancels India trip

New Delhi, Jan 4 (IBNS) Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has cancelled his trip to India due to a row over his family ties with Dawood Ibrahim, India's most wanted terrorist.

Miandad, director general of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), had been granted visa by the Indian government and he was scheduled to vist the national capital for Sunday´s ODI between the two teams.

But after the Indian government came under fire for granting visa to Miandad, whose son Junaid is married to Dawood´s daughter Mahrukh, the former Pakistan captain decided to cancel his tour.

India´s external affairs minister Salman Khurshid, however, defended the government´s decsision in granting visa saying Minadad was not on the negative list.

"It is a decision taken by the ministry of home affairs and the government. What are the circumstances, what is considered when an approval is given... what goes into it, is an internal government matter," Khurshid told reporters in Bangalore.

"It is the job of MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs). They have taken a decision. No Pakistani visa gets cleared without MHA clearance. Inputs from all agencies are taken into consideration. It is an internal procedure," Khurshid said.

On Shiv Sena´s objections over grant of visa, Khurshid said, "Opposition only questions. Proper procedures have been gone through in this. Any law of prudence which had to be followed, it was followed, I am sure law will take care."