The National Rifle Association of India on Monday said that the participation of Pakistan shooters for the upcoming World Cup in New Delhi has been approved by Home Ministry and the visa request forwarded to the High Commission and Islamabad, ANI reported.

There has been a further breakdown of bilateral ties between India and Pakistan in the wake of the terror attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. There were questions whether athletes for the neighbouring country will be allowed to travel to India, with the earliest event being the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup starting this week.

However, NRAI Secretary Rajiv Bhatia said that the participation of Pakistan shooters should not be a problem.

“I received a call from the High Commission on Friday and they confirmed the names again. Hopefully visa will be granted today. Two shooters and a coach from Pakistan are supposed to come on 20 February. Home Ministry has cleared it so there’s no denial on that,” he told ANI.

At least 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed when a militant drove an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group claimed responsibility for the attack.

There have been several form of protests in the sports world in the aftermath of the attack.The Cricket Club of India, an affiliated unit of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, has covered a portrait of former cricketer and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan at its headquarters in Mumbai while India’s tour to Pakistan for the Davis Cup Group 1 tie is also likely to be cancelled due to the terror strike.