KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has highlighted the need for close coordination between stakeholders and integration among all security related departments to make the Pakistan Super League final in Karachi a memorable event, which will set the tone for more international events in the city.

Recalling that last year he had vowed to organize the PSL in Karachi, he said he has kept his promise now. “I have already issued directives for provision of civic facilities to ensure public convenience, beautification and festivity kind of atmosphere in the city.”

The chief minister stated this while presiding over a meeting here at the CM House to review arrangements for the forthcoming PSL final in Karachi. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Home, Health Local Government, Sports, Chief Secretary, DG Rangers, IG Police, Principal Secretary to CM, Commissioner Karachi, Secretary Health, Secretary Home, Secretary Sports Secretary, LG IGP Sindh, Mayor Karachi, Commissioner Karachi, Additional IG Karachi, representatives of all the intelligence agencies, representatives of PCB, General manager National Stadium and other concerned.

Giving guidelines to all the concerned agencies, institutions and people to work together, the meeting decided to carry out aerial surveillance by helicopters being provided by Corps Commander Karachi and also to deploy commandos around the stadium while the police would take control inside the stadium.

The chief minister constituted different committees and assigned them the task. The Executive committee headed by Chief Secretary would make over all monitoring. There will also be an Intelligence/Security Committee and civic Issues related committee. The security committee includes Police, Rangers, army and intelligence agencies officers. They would share their intelligence reports among themselves on daily basis.

The CM also directed the civic agency which is under local government minister and Mayor Karachi would make arrangements for provision of lighting, drinking water, parking sites, cleanliness and also arrange medical facilities. In this connection the chief minister also asked Secretary Health to talk to Aga Khan Hospital and Liaquat National Hospital for providing special health services, in case of need.

The IG Police, AD Khowaja told the chief minister that he had sent a team to Lahore to observe the security arrangements for international cricket match played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on October 29, 2017. The same security model with some improvements is being implemented here.

The chief minister directed the IG police to identify and declare alternate traffic routes for public convenience.

“We have to facilitate each and every person who want to witness the match at stadium,” he said and added “I am sure there should be foolproof security arrangements in the entire city, particularly from the airport to hotels and to stadium. This extra ordinary security should not cause harassment among the citizens but “let the citizens enjoy the event in a festive manner. Itis their event and they [people of Karachi] would cooperate with law enforcement agencies,” he hoped.

The National Stadium has a capacity of 40,000 spectators. It would be a big event in terms of public audience and the meeting decided that the Law Enforcement Agencies would make a full dress rehearsal on February 11 at 10am while another meeting would be convened on February 14 to review the security arrangements.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2018