June 11, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 06, 1429

KARACHI, June 10: With the Asia Cup drawing closer, a concerned Pakistan Cricket Board met the country’s top police officials to take stock of the security arrangements for the tournament to be staged here and in Lahore from June 24.

A top government official confirmed that the PCB has been assured of state level security for not only the Asia Cup but also the Champions Trophy that would be held later in the year.

Rehman Malik, the interior ministry advisor to the prime minister, said PCB Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf had requested for the meeting three days back.

“He had some security fears on the ongoing situation of the country. So, I had called the Inspector General Police and the Home Secretary of respective provinces and other intelligence agencies.

“We discussed their concerns ahead of the Asia Cup and ICC Champions Trophy and their concerns have now been duly addressed,” Malik said.

He further stated that the government was very keen to see the two tournaments go ahead without any security glitches and a special security plan was being put in place to ensure that nothing untoward happens.

“We are confident everything would go smoothly. And there would be no problems.” He said the IG police and home secretaries of the provinces, where the matches would be held, had briefed the PCB officials about the security arrangements for the visiting teams.

While the Asian Cricket Council has given its go ahead to the PCB’s security arrangements for the Asia Cup, the ICC has asked the board to take some more measures for the Champions Trophy that would be held from September 11 in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.

The tournament itinerary and match venues would be reconfirmed at the ICC executive board meeting later this month.

Pakistan is also due to host New Zealand for three one-dayers in late August ahead of the Champions Trophy and already some Kiwi players have started expressing concerns about playing here.—Agencies