PCB to brief ICC on security measures
11 February, 2013
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would make a presentation to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its member Boards soon on the measures taken by it since the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team in a bid to impress on the other countries that security situation has improved in the country.
A reliable source in the Board said that the PCB had hired an Army colonel who was with the Inter Services Intelligence and is a counter terrorism expert to prepare the security brief for the ICC and its member Boards. "Colonel Azam is now working with the PCB vigilance and security wing as the Board has come to the conclusion that until the ICC and its member Boards are not made aware and are satisfied with security plans for domestic and international cricket in Pakistan, international teams or players will never come to Pakistan," the source said. The source said that Colonel Azam had been given the task of working with the vigilance and security wing to prepare a comprehensive security plan for presentation to the ICC and member Boards. "When the PCB recently contacted different Boards in connection with seeking NOCs for players for Pakistan Super League they realised that a lot still needed to be done to convince them just how much the board had done since the attack on the Sri Lankans to prepare a tangible security blanket and plan for cricket in the country," the source said. Six Pakistani policemen and a van driver were killed in the attack on the Sri Lankans in March 2009 in which some of the visiting players were also wounded. Since then, no Test playing nation has visited Pakistan because of security concerns and this week the Board announced it was postponing indefinitely the PSL that was to be launched in March end. Meanwhile, the PCB was forced to postpone the Pakistan Super League T20 since several Boards refused to give NOCs to their players for the cricket tournament, sources said on Sunday. The PCB had signed memorandum of understandings with several foreign players but Boards from the West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland were the only one to issue NOCs to their respective players. "It is a fact that the PCB had signed MoUs with around 70 to 80 players from different countries including South Africa, England, Australia, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand for the PSL," the source said. "But when the Board started to approach the concerned boards to issue NOCs to play in the PSL they didn't get a very good response and were downright disappointed. Only the West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland had given positive response to the PCB request," the source added. He said the players included some popular T20 experts for example Andre Russell of the West Indies. The source also informed that most of the players had made it clear while signing the MoUs they could only confirm their contracts if their boards gave them NOC's for the PSL. He said even in the matters of selling franchises and other products of the league the board had got very strong response. "It is true that some eight broadcasters including some from India had expressed interest and some even submitted bids for the broadcasting rights of the PSL while some 11 companies and individuals had confirmed their interest in buying the franchises. It was only when the PCB sought support of other boards particularly India that it was left disappointed." End. |
