The three-member Board of Control for Cricket in India delegation which visited Pakistan to assess the security measures for the Indian team's tour of Pakistan expressed satisfaction with the steps taken by the hosts even as a top Pakistani official said there is no specific threat from any militant outfit.
"We are satisfied with the [security] measures being planned," BCCI joint-secretary Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, who was part of the delegation said on Wednesday.
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He told PTI over phone that the secretary in the Pakistan Interior Ministry Tasneem Noorani made a very detailed presentation about the security arrangements during the discussions in Islamabad on Tuesday.
Noorani, in a separate interview to PTI, said Pakistan is not aware of any specific threats issued by militant groups to disrupt the Indian tour.
Referring to news reports that Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly faced threats from unidentified militant groups, Noorani said he is unaware of any such information.
"It appears that concerns were due to threats they might have received in the past. There are no known threats from any of the groups. The whole thing is being exaggerated. It appears that someone is out to give ideas to unwanted elements," he said.
The Indian team is tentatively scheduled to begin its six-week tour to Pakistan in March.
"We have made fool proof security arrangements. We have explained that security concerns were normal and nothing extraordinary," said Noorani adding "security was the single point agenda which was discussed at length from all angles."
Shetty said the delegation was happy as Pakistan had agreed to appoint a co-ordinator who could liaise with Indian officials to improve the arrangements during the tour.
He also denied rumours that his team planned to return to India before completing its eight-day tour.
"We will visit all the six centres and see the arrangements before we go back."
Shetty and his team inpsected the stadium at Rawalpindi near Islamabad on Tuesday before flying to Peshawar, the headquarters of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province.
Peshawar, which borders Afghanistan, and Karachi are the two venues where India has expressed reservations about playing at.
The delegation will inspect Multan, Faisalabad and Lahore before returning on February 16.
Meanwhile, media reports quoting a Government statement said a dedicated security team headed by an SP rank officer would accompnay the Indian cricket team on the tour.
In accordance with ICC regulations, spectators will not be allowed to take certain items into the stadia. To meet with any eventuality, police commandos will be provided to the provincial security agencies.
"In addition a security advice of Do's and Don'ts would also be issued to Indian players," the reports said.
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