Pakistan "tightened security in the city of Lahore ahead of a hugely anticipated final of its domestic cricket league on Sunday, pushing ahead with a rare high-profile match despite a recent spike in Islamist violence," according to Mubasher Bukhari of REUTERS. The government "wavered momentarily" on whether to host the Pakistan Super League final "after a series of militant attacks killed more than 130 people last month, including a suicide bombing in Lahore in which at least 13 people died." Pakistan has "only hosted one" int'l series since militants attacked a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in '09. A tour by Zimbabwe's cricket team in '15 was "almost disrupted when a suicide bomber killed two security officials near a stadium." While the PSL is in its second year and "boasts" a TV viewership "in excess of 50 million people," all matches have been played in the United Arab Emirates. Rana Sanaullah, law minister for Punjab province, of which Lahore is capital, said that the government "prepared a fool-proof security plan" for the night-time game. Sanaullah said that "nearly 4,000" police and paramilitary rangers patrolled the area and fans had to "pass five security layers before reaching the 25,000-capacity stadium" where the Peshawar Zalmi played the Quetta Gladiators. But not everyone was convinced. Citing "security fears, some high-profile foreign players" such as former England captain Kevin Pietersen, who plays for the Quetta team, decided to skip the final. On the morning of the match, "cricket-obsessed Pakistanis were brushing off security worries." School teacher Maleeha Rizvi, 48, said, "For the last several weeks, we were not going to restaurants because of threats of terrorism. But celebration of the PSL final has brought us out. I guess this event has defeated terrorism" (REUTERS, 3/5). The AP reported the provincial government "promised to provide more than 8,000 security personnel in and around the sports complex where Qaddafi Stadium is located and the teams' route to the stadium." Armed police and soldiers guarded the stadium on Saturday, which was "off limits to even the media." A temporary hospital of 25 beds was also established at a nearby hockey stadium "in case of emergency" (AP, 3/4). DAWN's Zulqernain Tahir reported as many as 10,000 personnel provided "foolproof" security to Sunday's final as it was a "national event." Dispelling the impression created by the opposition that 60,000 personnel would provide security to the PSL final, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said, "There are not 60,000 but 10,000 men providing foolproof security to today's match. This is the national event and is being treated likewise and those opposing it are not well-wisher of the country." As PM Nawaz Sharif provided helicopters for the event, Shahbaz said that the Punjab government was "thankful to the premier" for what he said "would be helpful for aerial monitoring of the match" (DAWN, 3/5).
