Pakistan A v Indians, Lahore

When policemen outnumber spectators

Anand Vasu in Lahore

A lone policeman watches the action as India's tour to Pakistan gets underway © AFP

The Gaddafi stadium in Lahore is one of the most beautiful in the subcontinent. Its red brick outsides, lush-green outfield, plush facilities for the media and VIPs make an extremely conducive setting for playing and watching cricket. And, for Lahoris, there can be no greater occasion than a clash against India. That Pakistan A gave India a sound thrashing speaks volumes for both the talent available in Pakistan and for how difficult this tour is going to be for the Indians. Yet, no more than two stands had fans in them. The Kardar enclosure, with a capacity of 1500 seats, was almost full, and another slightly smaller stand was half full. Where were the Lahoris?

Pakistani journalists who have covered cricket here in Lahore for years could not remember a time when a big game like this one drew such a lukewarm response. Ticket sales were at low ebb, there was none of the flag waving, chanting or drum beating that has come to be a fixture in all India-Pakistan matches. When the day dawned, the empty stands yawning back at players was mystifying. And yet, the reasons soon emerged. People who arrived at the stadium were turned back if they had not purchased tickets in advance. The security cordon had formed a large circle and were steadily turning people back.

In world cricket, this kind of security has become a necessary evil. But, the best kind of security is the one that works without being in your face. The sight of a combination of mounted police, jeeps and plainclothesmen was a fearsome one. And it's only going to get worse in places like Peshawar. Most guards were heavily armed, and the sight of a Kalashnikov sub-machine gun is scarier than most people imagine. But, as Syed Mashud Shah, the Inspector General of Police (Punjab), told reporters, there was little choice in the matter. He was reassuring to the extent that the police had no knowledge of specific threats. "We have not received any threats, no information has been received in that regard. But that is not to say that we will lower our guard. We are on full security alert, but we don't expect anything untoward to happen."

It would be fair to say that policemen and other security personnel outnumbered spectators on the day. Shah almost confirmed that. "In Lahore, some 2600 personnel will be on duty at all times. Not all of them will be in uniform. A part of them belong to the special branch, some of them belong to the police and a part of that number is from the CID, which is our anti-terrorism squad that specialises exclusively in dealing with terrorism. We have established a control room where all three components of police will monitor the situation from minute to minute. These numbers include those who take care of the route along which the players pass, the places where they stay, and the places that they visit."

The cricket circus moves on immediately, uprooting itself after just a day and a half at Lahore. And the security situation won't get any lighter. "In Rawalpindi, some 3400 men will be deployed, while in Multan, there will be around 2000 personnel. The numbers are more in Rawalpindi because the team will be staying in Islamabad and travelling to Rawalpindi where the stadium is situated, so there will be frequent movement. In addition, the Rawalpindi stadium is also located in a very busy area. But we are concentrating on quality rather than on quantity. The security personnel will be split into units and that's the way they will perform their duty right through the tour."

The Indian team has been careful not to make any comments about the intrusive or restrictive nature of the security provided to them. Shah does not concern himself with the comfort levels of players. "We would like to allay any fears lurking in the minds of the Indian players. We believe the people will come to watch the matches, not create trouble. And we would like to reiterate that security has been well catered for. We have been providing this sort of security for the New Zealand and South African teams when they toured Pakistan as well. All these expenses have been accounted for in our budget, there is no extra burden on us financially."

To have cricket of this intensity played to empty stands is a tragedy, and yet without these kinds of arrangements this tour would never have been undertaken in the first place. No one can afford to take any chances, and Shah, more than anyone else, knows this. "Unfortunately, Pakistan, like other countries, has had a number of incidents in the past. We have been lucky because we have traced all groups and all people involved in such activities. But at the same time, we are keeping a vigilant eye on organisations that are capable of creating trouble."

Anand Vasu is assistant editor of Wisden Cricinfo, and will write from Pakistan throughout the Indian tour.

© Cricinfo

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