Capital police 'fully equipped' to provide 'world-class' security to NZ team

The Islamabad Capital Police (ICTP) on Sunday said that it is “fully equipped" to provide "world-class" security to the New Zealand cricket team during its Pakistan tour. 

The Kiwis are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan this month to play T20 International and One-Day International series between the two countries from April 14 to May 7.

In a tweet, the ICTP said that it "shall provide end-to-end foolproof and world-class security to New Zealand Cricket Team during their forthcoming visit” to Pakistan.

It furthered that the police “has provided the highest level of security during the visit of the English cricket team and PSL 8 flawlessly in 2022-23.”

Read Threat alert came from Five Eyes as NZ fly out

“[The] ICTP shall be playing a key role for the provision of flawless security in collaboration with other stakeholders in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. IGP Dr Akbar Nasir Khan,” it added.

Islamabad police announcement comes a day after a local TV channel report had stated that the ICTP had refused to provide security for the series due to a lack of resources. 

The visit by the Black Caps comes two years after it pulled out of the one-day international (ODI) and Twenty20 series.

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The kiwis had reached Pakistan on September 11, 2021, for the first time in 18 years to play three ODIs and five T20s but abandoned the tour moments before the start of the first ODI in Rawalpindi, claiming security threats.

The cricket team then flew out of Pakistan on a chartered flight from Islamabad to Dubai.

A global intelligence alliance had issued the security threat which led to the cancellation of the New Zealand cricket team's tour to Pakistan, according to NZ Herald.

The New Zealand daily, quoting overseas media, reported that the intelligence came from Five Eyes – an intelligence alliance of New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.