September 16, 2003	Tuesday	Rajab 18, 1424

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PESHAWAR, Sept 15: A three-member South African delegation has expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements in Peshawar but said they could only give their recommendations and the final decision on sending the team to Pakistan rested with the United Cricket Board (UCB) of South Africa.

“We would be leaving for South Africa tomorrow and would meet the officials of the UCB on Wednesday or Thursday to submit the report of our two days visit to Pakistan,” said a member of the delegation, commercial director, Ian Smith,  at the Arbab Niaz Stadium on Monday where the second Test between Pakistan and South Africa is scheduled to be played on Oct 16.

“I don’t see any problem in playing here. The security situation both in Karachi and Peshawar is very good, but it is the UCB to decide about playing in Pakistan,” he said and added the issue of security had been prompted by fear of terrorism and violence taking place in some countries around the world.

Security fear in Pakistan has left some of the South African players uneasy due to which the UCB decided to send the delegation before the commencement of the tour, he said.

Another member of the delegation, Ben Van Deventer of the South Africa police services, also expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made for the protection of their players.

“We are confident that the local authorities would make tight security arrangements for the members of the South African team. The authorities, here are extremely cooperative and we hope they would do their best to make the tour happen,” he said.

Asked what were their criteria of judging the security arrangements being made by the authorities he said:

“We are just discussing matters with the authorities and give them inputs and expect them to work on that.”

Earlier, the delegation was briefed by the chief of capital city police, Tanvirul Haq Sipra about the security arrangements to be made during the visit of the South African team.

He told the delegation that the players and management of the South  African team would be provided with top level security arrangements in the city.

The delegation was informed that right from the airport on the route to the hotel and the ground the players would be guarded by strong contingents of police force.

On the occasion, a large number of police escorted the delegation from the airport to the hotel and then to the ground and demonstrated the manner in which the team would be provided with security.

Police chief ensured that full-fledged security would be provided to players during their stay in the city and all the roads used by the players would be cordoned off and players would also given protection in hotel rooms as well as in ground.

Police would be deployed around the ground and on the rooftops to further solidify the security measures, said the police chief.

The third member of the delegation Don Nicholas told Dawn that he found the security arrangements as adequate.

Ben Van Deventer from South African police service, said that they had forwarded some suggestions and recommendations to the local police to make the security arrangements from those angels and hoped that they would do the same.

About the tour to Pakistan, he said “it was all enjoyable and we would be travelling on the road to Islamabad this afternoon to entertain ourselves.”

Secretary of the Peshawar District Cricket Association, Abdul Aziz told reporters that all the Test-playing nations, including India had played in the city and there was never even a slightest mishap that could haunt the visitors.

He said that South Africa had earlier played against Australia in triangular series in 1994 in Peshawar without any problem.