PCB assures that New Zealand tour can go on

Pakistan Cricket Board officials on Wednesday, assured the New Zealand Cricket officials, that conditions in the country were perfectly normal. They also held out assurance about the complete safety and security of the visiting team during their stay in Pakistan.

Director, Pakistan Cricket Board Brig. Munawar A. Rana, spoke to the Chief Executive Martin Snedden of New Zealand Cricket Board on the phone to brief him about the normal situation in the country, and the adequate security arrangements made for the team members at all the venues. He also rang up the New Zealand Counsel General in Karachi to discuss the matter and the satisfactory arrangements made for the team.

Director PCB also spoke to Mr. Nematullah Khan, Nazim-e-Ala of Karachi, in his capacity as Head of the City & head of Organization Committee of the matches in Karachi. The Nazim was already aware of the situation and assured him of firm arrangements regarding security.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Martin Snedden of the New Zealand Cricket Board had faxed a letter to PCB informing him about delaying the arrival of their team members by 48 hours in the transit, which has already reached Singapore. He had based the decision on what he felt was the situation developing as result of the catastrophic events in New York & Washington which, as he thought, could have possible fall out in the region. The team which was due to arrive on September 12 was now scheduled to reach Karachi on September 14, 2001, according to him.


Khalid Butt
Media Manager
September 12, 2001