NZealand, Safrican cricket teams provided tight security during protest by Imran Khan’s party

LAHORE, Feb 4: Starting Wednesday, Pakistan Army and Rangers personnel will be deployed in Lahore for fool-proof security for the international cricket teams ahead of the tri-nation cricket series starting February 8, the same day jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party has planned a protest.
“The Federal Interior Ministry has allowed the deployment of Pakistan Army and Rangers for security duties of New Zealand and South Africa cricket teams for the tri-nation cricket series in Lahore between February 5 and February 10,” a spokesperson for the ministry said on Tuesday.
Khan, 72, has been lodged at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since mid-2023 in multiple cases and his party has been at loggerheads with the federal government since the general elections in February 2024.
His party, PTI, has already declared that it would observe February 8, when elections were held last year, as a ‘Black Day’ to protest the alleged stolen mandate and announced the protest rally at the historic Minar-e-Pakistan here in Lahore on February 8.
In addition to the army and rangers, the Punjab police personnel will also be deployed for the security of both teams. “No compromise will be made on provisions of security to visiting foreign teams,” he said.
The tri-nation matches will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium between February 8 and 10 and in Karachi between February 12 and 14.
Although the government has not yet granted permission to the PTI for the rally, the latter said it will hold the protest march come what may.
The decision to hold rallies comes as the dialogue with the government broke down after the party’s demand to set up judicial commissions to probe the incidents of May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024 were not met. (PTI)