Kolkata: Unfortunately, all the efforts put in by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to resume international matches on the Pakistani soil are going to come a cropper. The PCB wants to set an example by hosting the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on March 5, so that the International Cricket Council (ICC) agrees on the resumption of international matches in Pakistan, but Lahore has once again been a victim of terrorism. An under construction building in the defence area was blown off in an explosion on Thursday. The incident left 10 people dead and 20 people injured. The blast makes it the 7th terrorist attack experienced by Pakistan within a time span of just 10 days. The incident follows another explosion that killed 16 people outside the Punjab Assembly in the capital of the Punjab province.
So, is Lahore really safe to host the PSL final? Few days back when the ICC Special Task Force visited Lahore, it seemed to be impressed at the security measures for the visiting teams. The head of the Special Task Force, Giles Clarke went on to say that the final of the PSL would take place in Lahore, irrespective of the fact that some foreign players didn’t want to play there.
Within a month after Clarke paid a visit to Lahore, the vigilance of the officials and safety of the nation are being questioned. Seven attacks one after another is bound to raise the eyebrows of each and every board which is to send its players to a country that has seen a spate of terror attacks.
Misbah-ul-Haq, the skipper of the PSL, team Islamabad United however feels that the PSL final in Lahore is a good thing as fans can see their stars perform in front of their eyes. “It is a positive development for cricket in Pakistan and for the fans who have missed out on International Cricket in the country” he was quoted by the media.
Shahryar Khan, the Chairman of the PCB stated, “A successful final in Lahore will definitely send a positive message to all that the security situation in Pakistan is getting better.” But it seems that this statement of the PCB Chairman is in absolute contrast to the current scenario in Pakistan.
The PSL being held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has already hogged the limelight for the wrong reasons. Two players were suspended and sent back home due to allegations of spot-fixing. Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif both faced provisional bans by the PCB. As it is, corruption has dug deep inside the PSL, on top of that, the recent violence that struck the nation has made it almost impossible for the PCB to convince the other boards to send their teams to Pakistan.
To add to the discomforts of the PCB, even legends and former cricketers of Pakistan, like Imran Khan and Javed Miandad have heavily criticised the board for its negligence and disability to handle corruption and terrorism, both of which are carcinogens for the game.
Pakistan has been on a stranded Island since 2009. The nation was isolated as a group of terrorists attacked a visiting Sri Lankan squad which left some players injured. Except for Zimbabwe, which dared to tour Pakistan in 2015, no other nation has agreed to visit Pakistan citing safety and security reasons. This is also the reason why the UAE becomes the home venue for Pakistan.
No sport is complete without its fans. The spectators of the game contribute immensely to the performances of the players and the hype around the game. This too is an area which Pakistan is deprived of. Home fans need to go to the UAE to support their side which isn’t really acceptable. As things stand now, the day seems to be far away when one can see a Pakistani side play on its home soil.
(With inputs from Dawn and The Express Tribune)