Source : The News International – 11 February 2009
Pakistan to improve World Cup security
KARACHI: Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ijaz Butt vowed Wednesday to improve security arrangements for the 2011 World Cup and denied there was a risk to staging some of the games in the troubled country.
Pakistan would improve on the existing facilities for the World Cup while the International Cricket Council (ICC) would also make security arrangements, the PCB Chairman told media.
Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will jointly host the 10th edition of the four-yearly event in 2011.
Earlier this month, security concerns raised by other teams forced the ICC to move the 2009 Champions Trophy out of Pakistan.
The elite eight-nation Trophy was to be held in September-October this year but the ICC will announce a new venue in April.
The event was originally scheduled for last year but was put off after South Africa pulled out of the event and Australia, England and New Zealand showed reluctance to tour because of fears about players’ safety.
Australia, which has not toured the country since 1998, has also forced Pakistan to play their five-match one-day and a Twenty20 series on neutral venues in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah from April 24 to May 7 because of security concerns.
Butt said a joint meeting of the World Cup host nations would be held in New Delhi on February 17.