Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi lauded the Green Shirts for their spirited performance throughout the series. Photo: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
The government has decided to deploy army and paramilitary forces to protect Sri Lanka’s cricket team after a deadly suicide bombing in Islamabad raised security concerns during their ongoing tour, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Thursday.
“And now, Pakistan Army, Rangers and Islamabad police together are managing their security, and we are providing them the same kind of protocol and security as they are our state guests,” Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, said while speaking in the Senate.
He was briefing the Senate on the security situation in the federal capital and explained the circumstances under which Sri Lanka decided to continue its cricket tour of Pakistan, noting that the outcome was achieved through sustained engagement between Pakistani and Sri Lankan leadership.
Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir had assured Sri Lankan Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon of the team’s safety, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told parliament in a live televised transmission.
“Our field marshal himself spoke to their defence minister, secretary and convinced them and assured them fully of [providing] security,” he added.
“Our army and paramilitary are deployed for the Sri Lankan team’s security,” he added. Naqvi said the Sri Lankan players had expressed serious concerns about staying in Pakistan following the bombing but those had been addressed.
“The Sri Lankan president personally spoke to the (cricket) team yesterday and encouraged them to play,” Naqvi added.
The cricket stadium and the hotel where the Sri Lanka team is staying are both less than 10 km from the site of the bombing.
The Sri Lanka Cricket Board said on Wednesday that several players had asked to return home after the blast, the first attack on civilians in the capital in a decade.
The board instructed the team to stay, saying Pakistan’s authorities had given “foolproof” security guarantees. It did not respond to a request for further comment on Thursday.
The board said players who opted to return early would face a formal review to assess their actions.
Security in major cities has since improved, allowing international teams to return. Test cricket in Pakistan resumed when Sri Lanka toured in 2019.
Sri Lanka are playing a three-match one-day series in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, followed by a Twenty20 tri-series involving Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly expressed gratitude for the personal efforts of the President of Sri Lanka, the Defence Minister, and the entire government of Sri Lanka for their decision to continue the cricket tour of Pakistan.
A resolution tabled by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that the house appreciates the Sri Lanka Cricket Board’s decision to proceed with the tour despite all threats.
The resolution also acknowledged the zeal and dedication of Pakistan’s Interior Minister, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, and Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif for their all-out efforts in ensuring the successful continuation of the tour. (With input from Reuters)
