SECURITY AT LAHORE

Sri Lankan security experts pleased with arrangements in Lahore

by Rex Clementine • Published on

Armed policemen stand guard outside the Gadaffi stadium in Lahore. © AFP

Pakistan's government is not taking any chances with the security of the Sri Lankan cricket team and has provided the maximum possible protection for the tourists. The Sri Lankan team will land in Lahore at 2:30am on Sunday and several layers of security have been put in place including protection by elite forces such as Special Services Group (SSG) and Special Service Wing (SSW).

"We attended a meeting where the Inspector General of Police of the Province was in attendance. There were some top security experts and every person was briefed about his role. It's a massive operation," Air Commodore Roshan Biyanwala, a senior officer of Sri Lankan military, told Cricbuzz.

Biyanwala and Deputy Inspector General of Police Nalaka de Silva, an anti-terrorism expert, were flown to Lahore to study the security detail in plan for the team's visit to Pakistan nine years after armed gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus. They were extremely happy with the arrangements.

Heavily armed gunmen are protecting the Pearl Continental Hotel, where the team will be staying. All vehicles are thoroughly checked before entering the hotel and no civilian vehicles are allowed towards the lobby area. Even residents of the hotel when entering the premises have to go through two metal detectors followed by a body check. At the Gaddafi Stadium, the venue for the game on Sunday, security forces' presence was massive and more than 20,000 security personnel are said to be deployed.

"They have got a comprehensive monitoring system. From airport to the hotel and from hotel to ground and then back to airport, all movements are monitored by a sophisticated CCTV system. The Pakistan forces don't want to even give the Sri Lankan players a hint that their lives are in danger," Biyanwala added. "We had a few concerns and they have been all cleared and throughout the Pakistani security chiefs have been very cooperative," Biyanwala went onto add.

Along with Biyanwala and De Silva, the ICC Security Manager Sean Morris also arrived in Lahore three days prior to the team's arrival and has been studying the arrangements in place. "There was a rehearsal done on Friday afternoon as to how the team will be taken to the ground and the emergency steps that are in place. When the team travels to the ground on Sunday, the roads will be cleared. It will be like a curfew.

"The Pakistani forces have shown great commitment. They have been superb and very professional. The emergency evacuation plan is top notch. For obvious reasons we can't disclose everything but we are extremely happy with what is in place," Biyanwala said.

The Sri Lankan team was expected to drive straight back to the airport after the game to catch a SriLankan Airlines flight to Colombo at 00:30 on Monday, but due to a few undisclosed technical reasons, the team will now travel to Colombo via Dubai on Emirates airlines, another source told Cricbuzz. The change of plan will see the team's departure delayed by three more hours and they are likely to get back to the team hotel before leaving to the airport.

© Cricbuzz

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