Lahore Commissioner assures top-notch security for New Zealand T20Is amid festival rush

The month of April is set to offer some delightful days as Pakistan are slated to host New Zealand to a five-match T20I series. The hosts, who got comprehensively defeated by the Kiwis away from home by a margin of 4-1 a couple of months back, would like to better their performances, especially with the T20 World Cup approaching in June.

As far as the non-cricketing front is concerned, the month of April is a span where there are festivals galore - the main ones being Eid and Baisakhi, which are celebrated with a lot of fervour across regions of Pakistan, especially in the Punjab region. In the same vein, Lahore Divisional Commissioner, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, headed a gathering at his office on Tuesday, April 9, which was primarily focused on evaluating the setup for the impending festivals, cricket matches between Pakistan and New Zealand in Lahore.

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The meeting witnessed the participation of district administration officials and officers from the Pakistan Cricket Board, with Regional Public Officer, Sheikhupura Athar Ismail, attending as a special guest. Commissioner Randhawa declared that Sikh pilgrims would commence their journey to Pakistan through the Wagah Border crossing from April 13 onwards to celebrate the Baisakhi festival. He stated that the Lahore Police, working alongside the Department of Auqaf and district administrations of Lahore and Nankana, are currently finalizing arrangements for the Sikh pilgrims.

Randhawa highlighted the importance of heightened cleanliness and security measures for Eid al-Fitr. Plans for security and duty assignments for 'Chaand Raat' and Eid gatherings have already been disseminated. With the fourth and fifth T20Is to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the PCB officials furnished the commissioner with a detailed briefing on the matches to be played between both the teams. He stressed the non-negotiable aspect of illuminating every blind spot from a security standpoint.

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The commissioner also shared that the Lahore Waste Management Company will appoint 355 workers and officers for cleaning duties during the matches. Moreover, 120 walk-through gates and 336 extra CCTV cameras will be installed to ensure foolproof security. Additionally, Commissioner Randhawa instructed rigorous inspection of food and beverage prices and quality within the stadium. He also mentioned the formation of special control rooms, alongside the PCB control room, to ensure the matches' smooth progression according to the schedule and protocols as set by the PCB.