KARACHI, Sept 26: Pakistan deployed dozens of police officers including elite commandos as the South African cricket squad arrived here on Wednesday for a month-long tour of the country.

South Africa are due to play two Tests and five One-day Internationals in Pakistan.

Tight security was witnessed at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport with policemen surrounding Graeme Smith’s men as they left the terminal building.

“We deployed 100 policemen, police commandos and military commandos to create a tight security blanket,” senior Karachi police officer Rana Pervez said.

The South African squad, consisting of 14 players and 13 officials including three security officers, were then whisked to their hotel in a heavily guarded convoy.

Earlier this month Pakistani officials assured a visiting two-member delegation from Cricket South Africa that they would provide full security for the tour.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has excluded Rawalpindi and Peshawar from the original itinerary but it insisted the decision was not over security fears but due to a lack of facilities at the two venues.—AFP