South African cricket officials decided on Friday to continue their tour of Pakistan despite an assassination attempt on returning former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in Karachi.
Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) general operations manager Brian Basson said that the decision to push on with the ongoing series of one-day internationals had been taken after the squad received safety assurances from their hosts.
”Even though the Proteas are presently in Lahore and the bombing took place in Karachi, CSA called the Pakistan Cricket Board [PCB] concerning the safety of the team,” Basson said in a statement issued in Johannesburg.
”The PCB then held a high-level meeting with the Pakistan security authorities and the [Pakistan] home secretary today [Friday].
”After the meeting, the PCB and the security authorities assured us of the continued safety of the Proteas on this tour and that the security around the team will remain at the highest level. CSA has accepted these assurances and the tour will continue. CSA will, however, monitor the situation carefully.”
At least 133 people were killed in Karachi when a massive bomb ripped through crowds welcoming Bhutto back to Karachi after eight years in exile. — AFP
