Pakistan gets the all clear

Lorgat: Convinced by security

I think personally from what I have seen and what I have heard, and beginning to witness some of the actual security implementation measures, I am quite impressed with the level of security.

Haroon Lorgat
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The International Cricket Council has confirmed that Pakistan will host the Champions Trophy in September despite the challenge of convincing the players to participate.

Chief executive Haroon Lorgat has led the investigation into whether the tournament should remain in Pakistan or move to an alternative venue after the country was hit by a series of bomb blasts in recent months.

Lorgat claims Pakistan is safe to stage the sporting event and will now visit Australia, New Zealand and England in attempt to persuade players their safety is guaranteed.

"Pakistan has been given the all clear to hold the Champions Tropy, the first-ever in the country," said Lorgat.

"I think personally from what I have seen and what I have heard, and beginning to witness some of the actual security implementation measures, I am quite impressed with the level of security.

Challenge

"It is another matter to satisfy and improve the confidence of key players.

"To convince them is a big challenge and it's upon us to convey the message and to raise the confidence based on what we have seen and experienced that the security arrangements in place should be sufficient to have the event safe and secure."

Rawalpindi would be dropped as one of the venues with all the matches being staged in Karachi and Lahore, Lorgat has suggested.

"In the past year the city has endured several terrorist attacks, including the assassination of Benazir Bhutto the former prime minister," he said.

"There is a strong likelihood that Karachi and Lahore will hold the matches, thus excluding Rawalpindi as one of the three venues."

The tournament is likely to be delayed by one day as to not coincide with the anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the USA on September 11 seven years ago.