from what we have seen, as well as the reaction of the various authorities in pakistan, this was an abject case of security failure. that does not mean that pakistan can not provide security, but it makes evident the fact that our government and administration was too fucking lazy and incompetent, and yes, perhaps maliciously involved in this whole episode.

when the indians visited in 2004, they WERE afforded presidential level security. its the sort of security that allowed former President Musharraf to escape several extremely well-coordinated attempts on his life.

the security provided to the sri lankans was a joke.

again, i must stress that this does not mean we can’t provide good security, because any government official (and even their family members) travel in motorcades involving at least 50 different vehicles. one of the curses of living in urban pakistan is waiting in traffic for up to four hours at a time because one of our elected officials has decided to go out for a spot of shopping. our government has also spent well above a 100 million dollars for purchasing bullet proof, and bomb proof limousines and other vehicles.

unfortunately, none of those were provided to the tourists. moreover, the lankans were also NOT provided security from our elite force that is extremely well trained and was set up for providing security for visiting heads of state and the like. currently, each major politician, including those in opposition, have up to 100 guards from the elite forces to themselves. none of this is legal, or moral. but this is the reality that is pakistan.

as for BB, her security detail when she was assasinated was a joke. no one in pakistan believes that she was killed by those our government blamed; instead we suspect various elements of the state itself.

what’s important, and what a lot of foreign bloggers and almost none of the pakistani bloggers have mentioned, is that we as a nation need to stand up and sort ourselves out. of course, that is easier said than done. but we have our heads so far up our asses that i don’t see it happening any time soon.

it warms the heart to hear all the support that people have given the pakistani team. it angers me violently to look at how we as a people, and our government has reacted to this. i don’t know if we would be playing soon, or if we even deserve to.

But I don’t think Jrod was ‘wrong’ in supporting the touring of Pakistan. The Sri Lankans and subsequent touring teams could have come away with no drama at all. It is just that there were risks – as it turned out the risk was too high, but there is risk in everything.

I now personally find myself exactly where Jrod was – except now its India under consideration. Common sense tells me, post-Mumbai, post-Lahore, that conditions are worsening, that India is a big and busy place with lots of trap points, that major competitions like the IPL ship with strict schedules that tell everyone where you are (gee, wouldn’t it be fun if George W bowled second change in today’s Test? I’d be looking forward to watching him bat against Steyn, yes indeed), and that there must be people corrupted (either with cash or ideology, its all the same) within Indian cricket just like there clearly are within Pakistan cricket. Its a death trap – probably.

But I watched every game of the IPL last year, my daughter was born three hours before it started, and I sat up with that my new little bundle, watching the whole thing, and will always remember it as one of the most pleasant periods of my life. I want the IPL to go on. I want cricket in India to go on. How could we not play in India? Pakistan I can deal with, but losing India? That’s too big a blow for world cricket. So I want teams to tour India. I want India to be safe.

But if Reg says no? Well, I’m torn. Stay or go, I don’t know. As Jrod says in this post, regardless of what happens – fuck me for being right, and fuck me for being wrong.

Excellent post Jrod. I know you don’t write these things in search of praise but I find your pathos as good as your comedy (the bush fire post was excellent too). Thanks.

I think what you and I agree on is the elected president/government of Pakistan has no say – the strings are pulled by the military and the ISI.

You say “Everyone “knows” there are elements of the ISS in bed with the Talibs.”
But nobody will say so;
and not just some elements of it, they created the Talibs and the LeT
Unless it is said – it gives everyone a false sense of security,
they believe these “islamic terrorists” are an extraneous factor – which they are NOT.

That was my question,
did or did not Reg Dickason as a “security expert” spell this out. He did not.

If he knew it he had to say it loud for the world to hear – if he did not he failed his responibility and his opinion is worthless.

You are forgetting the Sri Lankan players had a say in this – yet they were happy to go and some has said they are happy to go again. Now why would they do that if this Dickason has advised if they go they will be “sitting ducks” to the terrorists?

My arguments are not contradictory.

BTW if main stream media is full of shit, where do you get your nerdy non-shit information from that you believe is authentic?

I’m not an expert. I’m one better-a nerd! I spend most my time web surfing for cricket and war news. Basicly i failed puberty.

What i’ve learnt is the main stream media is full of shit. Doesn’t matter what the topic.

President of Pakistan? Ask him how his wife is for me. Nice woman, can’t quite remember her name…started with a B…anyway. I’m sure he has full control of the country and the Pakistani security services are on board 100% (you know the ones support the taliban). Yes no doubt all this cordoning and everything would go down just fine.

Yes, i do realise it’s a tad odd old the Pakistani bus was held back. But if this President you mention has such a tight grip on things surely nothing untoward was going on?

Regarding Reg, he warned the SL admin two weeks out. Everyone knows there are elements of the ISS in bed with the Talibs.

Your not breaking any ground mate and your arguments are contradictory.

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/pakvsl/content/current/story/393513.html

the worlds gone mad

I think I have enough intelligence to know that if an administration wants to provide security, they CAN do it – very easily.

You forget the President of Pakistan is the Patron of the PCB.
He could have lined the streets with proper military guards if he had wished to.

There was no difference in the status between a head of state and this Sri Lankan team when it comes to the importance of a nation proving to the world they are a stable sovereign nation.

What you write about cricketers travelling to “schedules”, and so were vulnerable – is rubbish. Good security always takes ambushes into account – they change routes – they have cordons – they have armed escorts – if really necessary the players could have been transported in helicopters.

contrary to their regular practice
the home team was held back at the last minute and travelled seperately
do you realise the significance of it at all?

this “Reg Dickason” you talk about,
did he warn the Sri Lankans that the Pakistan military and intelligence were themselves involved in training terrorists? If yes, only then I will say the Sri Lankans were stupid.

you write,
Get this through your head.
I presume you are an expert on such matters, are you?
if not, there are better ways of expressing opinions – I do not have to learn anything from you.

JRod: Nice list, but its not complete. I’ve made a few additions and posted it over at Eye-on-Cricket.

Cheers,
Samir