LAHORE: The federal government has granted “state guest” status to foreign cricketers playing the Seventh Edition of Pakistan Super League T-20 matches from Feb 10 to 27 at Gaddafi Stadium.

With the grant of the status, the Pakistan army, Rangers and police will provide foolproof security to the players on roads as well as in and around the stadium.

For state guest movement, the Punjab government will now be required to offer “route zero” during the teams movement on roads and three security layers by the police, Rangers and the Pakistan army.

‘Route zero’ entails closure of traffic during movement of teams

The PSL-7 had begun in Karachi on Jan 27 and the first leg of the tournament (having 15 matches) will complete on Feb 7 and the teams will arrive in Lahore to play 19 matches, including semi-finals and final, at Gaddafi Stadium from Feb 10.

Until the federal government had not granted the state guest status, the Punjab government had made foolproof security arrangements meant for the VIPs that did not block traffic on roads during the [guests] movement.

For the state guests, Punjab Law Minister Basharat Raja told Dawn that the government would now ensure “route zero” for the guests that require not only closing traffic on the route from hotel to stadium and back but also on the other side of the road. In the VIP status, the guests are only offered signal-free movement on the roads. The PSL security plan would be enforced in Lahore from Feb 7.

All the three security agencies will be meeting at the Gaddafi Stadium and mutually decide a day before the arrival of teams in Lahore about taking up commands of inner cordon, outer cordon and route cordon. It is reliably learnt that the government is considering granting the command of route cordon and inside stadium cordon to the police.

Meanwhile, in a meeting of cabinet committee on law and order, Raja Basharat informed the participants that the state guest status had been given to the PSL players and the Lahore district administration and police would hold a full-dress rehearsal on Feb 4 and 6.

All the relevant agencies and officials had also been directed that CCTV cameras around Gaddafi Stadium and parking areas should be made fully operational.

Meanwhile, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Additional IG Fayyaz Ahmad Dev has said the police is all set to provide complete protection to players as well as spectators with even more elaborate security plan than the ones offered during the previous PSL.

Mr Dev said search and sweep operations have begun in the city on a daily basis particularly around the cricket stadium and designated areas. He said snipers would be deputed on the rooftops to keep an eye on all the movements during the matches.

The CCPO said SSPs, SDPOs, SHOs, Dolphin Squad, Police Response Unit and Elite Force would perform security, patrolling and traffic management duties during the matches to ensure foolproof security along with smooth flow of traffic.

The CCPO assured that maximum efforts would be made to ‘least disturb’ the routine activities of the citizens and traders.

Mr Dev said three-layer security would be provided to the citizens, who will only be allowed to enter the stadium after complete checking process and Covid SOPs.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2022