Lahore, Dec. 3 : Betting activities on international cricket matches have come to a halt after last week’s terror attacks in Mumbai.

According to the Daily Times, bookmakers in Lahore have stopped betting and are not issuing rates of any cricket matches.

They said that the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Indian Cricket League (ICL) season, in which around 20 matches were scheduled, has suffered due to the terrorist attacks.

Bookmakers have also cancelled bets for two one-day international matches and two test matches between India and England, while all bets for the Australia and New Zealand series have also been cancelled.

London, Dec. 3: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has told a leading British daily that neither Pakistan nor India can afford to escalate tensions at present, as this would have a disastrous impact for the war on terror.

“The architects of this calamity in Mumbai have managed to raise a threat on our other (eastern) border. As we have these people (militants) on the run along our western border (with Afghanistan), our attention is being diverted at this critical time,” The News quoted Zardari as saying in a telephone interview from Islamabad.

Lahore, Dec. 3 : Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik has said that the Indian cricket team’s tour of his country in January and February next year should go ahead, saying "cricket diplomacy" would ease existing tensions between the neighbors.

"If we play cricket matches, then the people of both countries will have a chance to divert their attention and the situation will definitely improve. Cricket diplomacy has helped in the past as well in the same manner," The News quoted Malik as saying.

Lahore/Islamabad, Dec. 2: Pakistan’s political leaders have supported the government’s stance on the Mumbai attacks and said the nation is ready to defend the country against any aggression.

Addressing a news conference after a meeting with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Opposition Leader Nisar Ali Khan said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supported the government and urged it to take a dignified and firm stance at ‘a critical time’.

“In this charged atmosphere, the unjustified blame game against Pakistan and its institutions should be stopped. If anyone has any proof, it should be given to the government, which will itself take action,” he said.

Lahore, Dec 1: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, has termed India’s attitude as undiplomatic after the Mumbai terror strikes that killed 195 people.

He said New Delhi had no right to talk of summoning any official of any Pakistani agency (for clarification on the Mumbai tragedy) and its attitude was against diplomatic norms.

“It is a prerogative of Pakistan to decide at which level to cooperate with India in the probe on the Mumbai incident,” Dawn quoted Rehman, as saying.

Lahore, Nov 27 : A senior US military commander has said that Pakistan had now bec