The failure of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to pick Pakistani players shows that India is not interested in peace with Pakistan, according to Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

Pakistani televisions quoted him as saying Thursday that India would be deemed non-serious in promoting bilateral relations if stops respecting “our ambassadors like cricket players, hockey players”.

He warned that those who did not respect Pakistani icons will not get respect from Pakistan. “If they behave like this, we too will reply in the same coin,” he said.

None of the Pakistani cricketers on the auction for the third edition of IPL was picked by any of the teams in Mumbai Tuesday.

The decision has triggered anger in Pakistan. A section of Pakistanis, including some players, have accused the IPL and India of insulting them.

Pakistan is the current Twenty20 world champion.