Punjab police security officials and jawans rehearse for Zimbabwe’s tour
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
Published · 7 min read
Punjab police security officials and jawans rehearse for Zimbabwe’s tour
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ISLAMABAD (BY;ASGHAR ALI MUBARAK ) —A Pakistani worker cleans seats at Gaddafi Stadium in preparation for next week’s cricket series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, May 16, 2015. Zimbabwe Cricket has officially confirmed it will be sending its team to Pakistan as per schedule next week, a Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman said. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)Pakistani police officers take part a security rehearsal for next week’s cricket series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, May 16, 2015. Hundreds of Pakistani policemen featured in a dress rehearsal on Saturday to provide security to the visiting Zimbabwe cricket team in the eastern city of Lahore. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistani police officers arrive to conduct a security rehearsal for next week’s cricket series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, May 16, 2015. Hundreds of Pakistani policemen featured in a dress rehearsal on Saturday to provide security to the visiting Zimbabwe cricket team in the eastern city of Lahore. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)A cricket fan buys a ticket for next week’s cricket series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at a superstore in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, May 16, 2015. Zimbabwe Cricket has officially confirmed it will be sending its team to Pakistan as per schedule next week, a Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman said. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)Zakir Khan (R), Pakistan Cricket Board’s director of cricket operations, briefs Alistair Campbell (2nd R), Managing Director Zimbabwe Cricket, during their visit to Gaddafi Stadium to examine security arrangements for the upcoming cricket series in Lahore May 6, 2015. REUTERS/Mohsin Raza
The Zimbabwe Cricket Board has finally confirmed that its team will visit to Pakistan as per schedule from Monday , a Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman told the daily mail, that all arrangements are final the Punjab police officers visited ot observe the arrangements and hold a security rehearsal for fourth coming Pakistan Zimbabwe cricket series. On 16-05-2015 Saturday afternoon thousand Punjab police officers and jawans featured in a full dress rehearsal to provide security to visiting Zimbabwe cricket team in Lahore.
PCB official told this correspondent that ZC has confirmed the tour “in writing” to the PCB last Friday and the tourists will arrive in Lahore early next Tuesday for two Twenty20s and three ODIs.
Earlier, PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan and his ZC counterpart Wilson Manase talked three times by telephone since confusion arose on Thursday when Zimbabwe canceled the tour, then deferred the decision to other day.
PCB chief said Manase told him the tour will go ahead, and Khan asked him to send confirmation in writing.
“Wilson Manase told me he has got the clearance from his government to go, and he will send it in writing too,” Khan said.
Khan said on all three occasions, Manase reassured him about the tour, the first by a test-playing nation to Pakistan in more than six years. Manase also said he will accompany the team.The tour was jeopardized after militants killed 45 minority Shiite on a bus in the southern port city of Karachi on Wednesday.
On last Thursday, the Zimbabwe government, which must clear all sports tours, recommended the cricketers not go to Pakistan over security concerns. Zimbabwe Cricket initially announced the tour was canceled, but less than 30 minutes later said there was no decision yet.
Test teams stopped visiting Pakistan after the Sri Lanka team bus was attacked by gunmen en route to a test in 2009 in Lahore. Six police and a driver were killed, and several Sri Lankans wounded.
Zimbabwe had already gone against the advice of the international players’ association in agreeing to the tour.
ZC managing director Alistair Campbell was just in Lahore last week with a delegation from Zimbabwe, and said they were excited about the tour, and that Pakistan “left no stone unturned to make sure that we will be safe.”
A meeting of organizing committee of the series was held at Gaddafi Stadium and the ticket sales will begin from Saturday.
“The preparations for the tour are in full swing and this morning we had a meeting of the organizing committee to tie all the loose ends,” PCB chief operating officer said in a statement.
“From the inquiries and feedback that we are getting, people are really eager to come and watch the revival of international cricket in Pakistan. Pakistani policemen featured in a dress rehearsal on Saturday to provide security for a planned visit by Zimbabwe’s cricket team to the eastern city of Lahore.
Zimbabwe is set to be the first test-playing nation to tour Pakistan since gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team bus — also in Lahore — in 2009. Six police officials and a van driver were killed during the ambush while several Sri Lankan team members were wounded.
On Saturday, two blue-colored team buses were shown surrounded by at least a dozen police vans in television footage from Allama Iqbal International Airport where Zimbabwe is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday.
Dozens of police officials monitored security arrangements at the Gaddafi Stadium, which is scheduled to host two Twenty20s and three one-day internationals in a 10-day period starting May 22. PCB official told this correspondent that at least 5,000 policemen will be inside the 27,000-seat stadium during the matches.
Two helipads – one close to Gaddafi Stadium and another near the team hotel – will also be built in case of emergency. A special surveillance center has been established near the stadium to monitor security arrangements.
Ticket sales began Saturday with the text “Igniting a passion that brings together a nation” written on the center of the ticket. Inside the stadium, workers were busy repairing spectators’ stands.
Zimbabwe’s tour was jeopardized after militants killed 45 minority Shiites on a bus in the southern port city of Karachi on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe Cricket first issued a statement on Thursday, saying it had called off the tour, but later said the negotiations were on.
ZC chairman Wilson Manase told Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan that he had security clearance from the Zimbabwe government to go ahead with the tour.
The PCB official said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will cover the entire cost incurred by the Zimbabwe side when they travel to Pakistan in May, becoming the first Test team to play in the country after six years.
International cricket has remained suspended in Pakistan after an armed attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009 in Lahore. Though the PCB has hosted Associate nations Afghanistan and Kenya, it did not make the impact the board had wanted to break the ice.
Head coach Waqar Younis and senior players Younus Khan, Shahid Afridi and Misbahul Haq have repeatedly urged the international cricket fraternity to help Pakistan play at home as they feel it is really important for the survival of cricket in Pakistan.
The PCB has put forward the proposal that Zimbabwe will not have to pay a single penny from their own pocket and all expenses will be met by the home board.
“There is not truth that Zimbabwe are asking for 50% profit from us, instead the board will cover all the expenses of the proposed tour,” a senior PCB official told the daily mail Islamabad . “We’ve told our counterparts that we would pay the match-fee and the daily allowances as well. As far as their demands of a series in Zimbabwe in August are concerned, there hasn’t been any development on that front. Right now we’re just focused on hosting them in May.”Zimbabwe have shown reservations about playing in Karachi” added the official.
The PCB has also been trying to get the Southend Club in Karachi approved to host a match. “The board has applied for the Southend Club to host matches in Karachi but we’ve not got the approval so far,” revealed the official. “We are doing that since the National Stadium of Karachi is a bit further away from the proposed team hotel than what we would have liked.”On other hand talking to media, Shehryar Khan told that International Cricket Council (ICC) has been informed about the Zimbabwe series. He said that Pakistani umpires will stand as field officials if the invited Zimbabwe officials wouldn’t come. Zakir Khan (R), Pakistan Cricket Board’s director of cricket operations, briefs Alistair Campbell, Managing Director Zimbabwe Cricket, security arrangements of Gaddafi Stadium to examine for the upcoming cricket series in Lahore May 6, 2015.
