Published: May 21, 2015, 09:41 PM (IST)
Edited: May 21, 2015, 09:41 PM (IST)
Lahore: A top official of the Punjab government has said that the gruesome Safoora Goth incident in Karachi was not an isolated incident and was meant to sabotage the Zimbabwe‘s tour to Pakistan. Colonel (retd) Shuja Khanzada, the home minister of Punjab, also said that because of real fears from splinter groups it was necessary to implement a comprehensive foolproof security plan for the Zimbabwe team. READ: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe 2015, 1st T20I Preview
“There is a national action plan against terrorism going on right now and we are taking offensive action against terrorists and criminals. In these circumstances we can’t take any chances at all,” Khanzada who is coordinating the entire security plan for the Zimbabwe team said on Geo News on Thursday. The minister said the Safoora Goth incident in Karachi last week where militants killed 46 members of the Ismail community was not an isolated incident. READ: Shahid Afridi hopes Zimbabwe tour encourages other sides to tour Pakistan
“They are splinter groups now active who are out to sabotage our economic progress and the incident in Karachi was not an isolated one. It was meant to sabotage the tour by Zimbabwe and they nearly succeeded in their aim,” he said. “But we are thankful to the Zimbabwe cricket board and their government for believing in us and going ahead with the tour,” he said. READ: PCB invite PM Nawaz Sharif for T20I
The minister said the around 6000 Punjab police force who were on security duty for the series were personally motivated as they realised it was a matter of pride and prestige of Pakistan. “The 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team was the result of negligence on part of some senior police officers who have been punished for their part. But we have learnt from the flaws and mistakes committed in the security provided to the Sri Lankan team and this time we are making no mistakes,” he said. He said the Army had also offered to assist if required in providing security for the series which was a positive sign. Khanzada was confident that after Zimbabwe more Test teams will return to Pakistan.
