Lees, then coach of New Zealand, returned from the 1992 tour of Sri Lanka after a bomb blast near the team hotel in Colombo.
Willie Watson, Dipak Patel, Rod Latham, Mark Greatbatch and Gavin Larsen joined him on the flight home, but the rest of the squad, under pressure from New Zealand Cricket, remained.
Lees believes their decision to return home was held against them and it was still a sore point.
"It was terrifying [the bomb blast] but that wasn't really the reason we came home. In all honesty it was the principle that some of the younger guys were getting bullied into staying," he said, adding: "I think that those days are gone'.
"It is a dreadful thing that players get forced into going because they don't trust the selectors. They think they are going to lose their place."
Lees said it was only natural for younger players, who were not established in the side, to feel more pressure to go to Pakistan than more entrenched players.
"If you haven't played for New Zealand before or if you're not cemented in the team you're swayed towards going.
"Every player should make up their own mind and I don't think anyone should have the right to hold it against them."
New Zealand Cricket Players Associations executive manager Heath Mills has slammed the ICC's decision to stage the tournament in Pakistan and is advising players against travelling to Pakistan.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said he would discuss players concerns with the NZC board and would not comment further until those discussions had taken place.
Australia, England and South Africa have also voiced concern about going to the tournament.
