KARACHI: The first phase of Pakistan Cricket Board’s endeavours to host at least four matches of Pakistan Super League (PSL) early next year commenced here on Monday when globally-renowned security official Reg Dickason paid a brief visit to the National Stadium.

Dickason — an Australian national who heads the Dubai-based security firm Eastern Star International and works as a consultant for the International Cricket Council (ICC), Federation of Inter­national Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) besides several ICC member boards — arrived at the National Stadium amidst tight security along with retired Colonel Mohammad Azam Khan, the PCB director security and vigilance.

Accompanied by Col Azam, NSK general manager Arshad Khan and adviser to PCB chairman for southern region Salahuddin Ahmed Sallu, Dickason, an expert on law enforcement for more than 16 years, inspected the main pavilion building and also visited the dressing rooms before leaving the arena.

Heavy security measures were in place before Dickason’s arrival with commandos and policemen placed in and around the stadium until the consultant departed.

Later, Dickason went to the police headquarters where he met I G Sindh A D Khowaja, DG Rangers Major General Mohammad Saeed and other senior-ranked personnel. On this occasion Dickason attended a detailed presentation on security arrangements for the PSL.

In the afternoon, Dickason paid a visit to the Chief Minister House and met Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who presented him with souvenirs and the traditional ajrak.

It may be mentioned here that the PCB had also hired a high profile security company to oversee the security arrangements during last month’s visit of World XI to Lahore for three Twenty20 Internationals against Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Zeeshan Ahmed adds: Later in a press briefing held at a local hotel in the afternoon, Dickason said that he had meetings with Chief Minister Sindh and IG Sindh who assured him that the security during the PSL matches — to be held in February 2018 — will be of a very high level.

“I had a very productive meeting with CM and IG regarding the PSL matches to be played in Pakistan, especially in Karachi. We were given a very full and comprehensive briefing by the law enforcement agencies which was heartening, the briefing was very detailed,” he disclosed.

“The meeting with CM also went well and the he showed lot of support for cricket coming back in Karachi,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2017