Lahore, Pakistan: Facing terrorist attack outside Gaddafi Stadium in year 2009, the Sri Lankan cricket team is back in Lahore to play the final Twenty20 international match under exceptionally tight security.
Over 5,000 policemen, mostly in plain-clothes are manning areas in and around Gaddafi Stadium Lahore while helicopters are hovering over Stadium to review security arrangements.
Punjab Police, Pakistan Rangers, Pakistan Army and intelligence agencies are working together on Sunday to ensure flawless security arrangements in and around Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.
Almost all national intelligence agencies are involved for ensuring flawless security arrangements today in and around Gaddafi Stadium where final match is being played today evening. Sri Lankan team is headed by Captain Thishara Perera while Pakistan will bat under the leadership of its Captain Sarfraz Ahmad.
“Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif is personally reviewing seucirty arrangements today,” said a high level police official while talking to Dispatch News Desk (DND) News Agency.
Over 500 hidden cameras are installed outside and inside Gaddafi Stadium to review three-layered security plan.
“Body search of everyone is mandatory. We are checking every vehicle entering into the area registration information of vehicles are checked at spot through especially installed system linked with Motor Registration authorities of entire country. We have access to NADRA data base to recheck every national identification card. Bygone the days when terrorists could arrive and attack anybody in Lahore,” commented a senior official of security agency with the condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk with media persons.
It is pertinent to mention that bus carrying Sri Lankan team was attacked by terrorists outside Gaddafi Stadium in 2009 when Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) killed eight persons including six police officers.
The chief of LeJ Malik Ishaq was gunned down by Punjab Police in an encounter on July 29, 2015. Since then LeJ is at run and security agencies had dismantled LeJ network in Punjab.
