Our Defence Forces Told us it Was Safe to Tour Pakistan: Zimbabwe Cricket Chief
Wilson Manase says Zimbabwe's defence department is aware of the situation in Pakistan courtesy intelligence and officials there gave the go-ahead to the cricket team to play in the country.
Zimbabwe became the first Test-playing nation to tour Pakistan in over six years last week. There were several factors which helped the team management make up its mind, including security assurances from Pakistan officials and a thumbs up from Zimbabwe's defence ministry.(Pakistan Savour Return of International Cricket)
Even as other international teams continue to ignore Pakistan as a venue to play cricket due to security concerns, Zimbabwe Cricket reportedly chose to go ahead with the tour after consulting the country's defence committee. This despite Zimbabwean government's Sports and Recreation Committee, after consulting with the foreign ministry, cautioning the side against the series.
"SRC consulted with the ministry of foreign affairs and someone there said it might not be safe to visit Pakistan particularly after the Karachi incident, but Karachi is different from Lahore," Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wilson Manase was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
"So what I did was to consult with the relevant authorities in government, the defense forces - they have got the intelligence, they are the people who know what the situation is and they have given a go-ahead from that area. They told me it's safe to go," he added.
Pakistan has provided an unprecedented security cover to the touring party with the team hotel and the stadium being guarded by thousands of men. The need for the heightened security comes from the fact that no full-member has been to Pakistan since the 2009 terror attacks during a series against Sri Lanka. Manase though went to the extent of assuring other teams to visit Pakistan without fear.
"I would like to indicate to the world - especially the Test-playing nations - that Pakistan is a safe country to play cricket," he said.
"We need to encourage members of the ICC to re-look at the position of not visiting Pakistan, and if they are watching how things have gone, they would realise that Pakistan, in the quest to have teams visit, have done great work to create an environment where cricket can be played safely."