LAHORE, Pakistan, 2 October 2003 — Concerns about security continue to dominate the South African cricket tour of Pakistan with the tightest ever cordon seen at a warm-up day-night cricket match in this Islamic republic.
The Proteas arrived Tuesday for a shortened 29-day tour after briefly canceling over security fears triggered by a blast in an empty office building in Karachi three days before they were originally due to arrive in the crowded port city.
Karachi and the northwestern city of Peshawar have been dropped from the itinerary and the number of matches was reduced in a last-minute compromise that revived the long-awaited tour. The South African cricket team have been provided security normally reserved for state heads.
Some 2,000 police and squads of black-clad “elite force” commandos were on guard as the Proteas took on the Lahore City XI at the eastern city’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Fifty mobile police teams patrolled the ground and bomb squad experts scanned the stadium’s 14 gates before the team arrived, bussed from their hotel under tight police escort with a guard even posted inside the bus.
Yesterday’s security display was a dress rehearsal for the first of five limited-over matches on Friday in this ancient eastern city near the Indian border.
“We have made elaborate arrangements for the South Africans and around 2,000 policemen will be on duty in and around the stadium tomorrow,” Muhammad Ali, assistant police superintendent, told AFP.
“It’s a high-profile series and even the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf has given strict instructions to all the concerned quarters.” Of the 150 elite police commandos, 20 will be stationed in and around the players’ pavilion.
“The South Africans demanded special security and that’s why we are over-cautious with the arrangements,” Irfan Mirza, the Pakistani official organizing the series, told AFP. “It looks like a match in Central Jail. How can people come to watch with so much restrictions?” quipped one spectator.
South Africa yesterday said playing in Pakistan was vital to the future of world cricket but that its top priority was the safety of its players.
