Pakistan put faith in security after cricket threats by AFP

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Event:

ICC Champions Trophy 2006/07

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DateLine: 11th October 2006

 

Pakistan is taking threats from firebrand Hindus to disrupt the Champions Trophy cricket tournament seriously but hope tight security will foil any sabotage attempts, an official said Wednesday.

 

"We have already conveyed our concerns to the ICC (International Cricket Council) and since it's a high-profile tournament, we hope all will be safe," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director of operations Salim Altaf told AFP.

 

The right-wing Hindu party Shiv Sena on Tuesday issued another warning that it would disrupt the tournament and protest against the Pakistan team playing in India.

 

The Pakistan team picked for the Champions Trophy is entirely Muslim although Test regular Danish Kaneria is a Hindu.

 

"Our opposition will be swift and ferocious if Pakistan dare to play on Indian soil," Jai Bhagwan Goyal, president of Shiv Sena's New Delhi chapter, said on Wednesday.

 

Pakistan play their opening match in the Rajasthan city of Jaipur on October 17. They take on New Zealand in Mohali on October 25 and South Africa at the same Punjab stadium two days later.

 

"Pitches can again be dug up ... Many things can happen which we will not disclose now as it will alert the security agencies," Goyal said in an interview.

 

"But whatever we do it will be a powerful and very visible protest," he added, reiterating his party's stance.

 

Goyal demanded New Delhi halt Pakistan's participation in the 10-nation tournament, which ends November 5 with the final in the Shiv Sena bastion of Mumbai.

 

His followers dug up New Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla ground in 1999, eight years after Sena men damaged Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium to protest against the Pakistani cricket team's presence in India.

 

Altaf said the ICC had already sent Pakistan a security plan for the tournament, which was proof it was taking the matter seriously.

 

"Judging by the stringent measures the ICC have taken and also the security provided to the Pakistan team on last year's tour of India, we hope there won't be any problems but threats need to be looked into," said Altaf, a former fast bowler for Pakistan.

 

"We have been having reciprocal tours since 2004 and there have been extraordinary arrangements of security, so why not for an event like the Champions Trophy, where nine other teams are also in India?" said Altaf.

 

Reciprocal cricketing ties between the South Asian rivals revived in 2004 after India lifted a four-year ban on bilateral cricket put on hold due to political tensions.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)