The two-member Pakistan security team has reportedly given the green signal for the ICC World Twenty20 clash against India in Dharamsala on March 19. There were some concerns over the match after Himachal Pradesh chief minister
Virbhadra Singh last week announced that his government would not be able to provide security to the Pakistani cricket team.
However, the security team that visited Dharamshala was told that the state government was competent enough to provide security to the Pakistani cricketers but the families of martyrs protesting against the match, would not be stopped. Singh said it would be embarrassing to use force on ex-servicemen and families of martyrs.
The District Collector and the Inspector General of Police have reportedly assured the Pakistani officials of adequate protection. Home Minister
Rajnath Singh had also promised to deploy paramilitary forces for the match.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not reportedly told the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that the Dharamsala can go ahead as scheduled as the Pakistan team has given the necessary security clearance.
A two-member security team from Pakistan arrived at the Attari border post of India yesterday and headed for Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh to review security arrangements for the match.
The team, comprising the director of the Federal Investigation Agency and a Pakistan Cricket Board member, crossed the Wagah-Attari joint checkpost (JCP) between both countries on foot before heading for Dharamsala, nearly 235 km from Attari.
The Pakistan security team was joined by a Pakistani High Commission official in New Delhi and reviewed security arrangements for the Dharamsala match.
The visit of the Pakistan cricket team is being opposed by ex-servicemen and families of martyrs from Himachal Pradesh. They say they will not allow Pakistan to play the match at Dharamsala as the neighbouring country was responsible for repeated terror attacks in India in which many soldiers have sacrificed their lives.
Pakistan give green signal for Dharamsala T20, say sources