RAWALPINDI: In the aftermath of the Peshawar suicide attack on Friday, which killed 57 worshippers and injured almost 200 others during prayers, local officials have increased security across the city and closed Stadium Road to all traffic on Friday.
For the first Test match between Australia and Pakistan at Pindi Cricket Stadium, all commercial malls and marketplaces in the neighborhood have already closed.
All sorts of car parking along Stadium Road has been forbidden, and it has been transferred to Rawal Road Park by the local government. It has also prevented families from attending Rawal Road Park and Allama Iqbal Park on a regular basis due to security concerns.
According to sources, the local administration has asked the deployment of Rangers and Army officers near the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. According to rumors, police personnel will be used to supplement the security provided by the Rangers and Army.
Stadium Road was visited by the Rawalpindi Division Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner (DC), and City Police Officer (CPO) to evaluate security arrangements. During the Pakistan-Australia match, about 450 police officers would be on duty.
Sniffer dogs are searching every nook and cranny of Stadium Road for anything that could be harmful.
Police have evicted all types of vendors from the area surrounding Stadium Road. The local authority has requested Metro Bus Management not to stop buses at the Shamsabad Station during the match.
Andrew McDonald, Australia’s coach, believes his team is in “really, very good hands.”
Australia coach Andrew McDonald said his team is in “really, really good hands” and will make all decisions based on professional advice just hours after the blast.
The success of Australia’s first tour of Pakistan in 24 years could lead to more frequent trips by top teams that have mainly avoided the South Asian country since a 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka team van in Lahore.
