ECB Security Team Briefed on Arrangements for Pakistan Tri-Nation Series

LAHORE | Nazrana Times Ali Imran Chattha 

A security delegation from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) visited the Punjab Home Department on Monday to review security arrangements for the tri-nation cricket series scheduled to be held in Pakistan in October.The delegation, comprising ECB Director of International Operations Rob Hillman, Director Security Reg Dickason and England Players Cricket Association Chief Executive Daryl Mitchell, was briefed on the four-tier security plan for the series. The meeting was chaired by Punjab Home Secretary Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi.Commissioner Lahore Numan Yousuf, PCB Chief Operating Officer Sameer Ahmed Syed, Deputy Commissioner Lahore Muhammad Ali Ijaz, DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran, Additional Secretary Internal Security and officials from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Special Branch attended the meeting. Commissioner Rawalpindi, RPO Rawalpindi and Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi participated via video link.The meeting was informed that England and Sri Lanka would arrive in Pakistan next month to play matches in Lahore and Rawalpindi. 

The ECB delegation was briefed on security arrangements along airport and stadium routes, at hotels and parking areas, as well as police deployments.Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi said preparations for the matches in Lahore and Rawalpindi had been completed and law enforcement agencies were fully alert. He said command and control rooms would be established at Punjab Safe Cities, Gaddafi Stadium and the DIG Operations office, while CCTV cameras would monitor all designated routes.According to the Home Department, 7,849 security personnel will be deployed in Lahore and 6,460 in Rawalpindi during the matches.Members of the British delegation said the England team was “very excited” to play in Pakistan and noted the enthusiasm of Pakistani cricket fans.A Punjab Home Department spokesman said the ECB security delegation, along with PCB officials, would also visit the Punjab Safe Cities Authority. Following the review in Lahore, the delegation is scheduled to visit Rawalpindi.