LAHORE: Giles Clarke, the Chairman of ICC Task Force on Pakistan, on Saturday lauded the efforts of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to briing back international cricket to the country but said the resumption will depend primarily on the security expert’s report.

“Personally, I am impressed with the efforts of the government for taking many steps for the security measures, but as the ICC security advisor Rob Nicholas is with me, he is the expert and his report will be vital to take any decision in restoring international cricket here,” Clarke said in a press conference.

“I am not the security expert to take any immediate decision in this matter, so let the report come,” he said.

Giles said it was the first time that the ICC had sent a delegation to Pakistan which was a good sign towards the resumption of international cricket. He said Pakistan was a full member of the ICC and every member had genuine concerns over its isolation and for not able to hold home series due to security issues.

“Last year when the situation was developing positively, an incident happened in a Lahore Park. So just one such incident could change the scenario,” he said. “It has never happened that a team was attacked in Lahore and we were lucky that no cricketer, or umpire or referee was killed in the 2009 incident here,” he said while referring to the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team.

“However, we have to move forward after forgetting that sad incident and that is why the ICC Board and the ICC chairman sent me here to monitor the situation,” he said.

Clarke appreciated the Punjab government’s SAFE City Project and said though the efforts were being made by the government, the security expert’s report was necessary to move forward.

To a question, he said he hoped that Pakistan would host the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in a befitting manner in Lahore on March 5 but as it was a domestic event of the PCB, the ICC had no security concerns about it.

He said his meeting with Punjab Chief Minister lasted 45 minutes and he also met with other officials of the government who gave good briefing over the security issues.

Later, the PCB also presented a security briefing to Clarke at the National Cricket Academy after which he addressed the press conference late in the evening.

“ICC has fundamental principle that it goes deeply about its full member as international bilateral cricket is involved, which is a very critical aspect of the world of cricket,” said Clarke. “Other cricket board members and the ICC recognized with deep frustration that Pakistani fans are missing the game and wanted to host the other teams. What we can do we will do to bring back international cricket to Pakistan,” he assured.

The tour of Zimbabwe team to Lahore last year was organized well and the response of the fans was very positive, he observed.

Clarke, expressing his feelings for the Pakistani fans in broken Urdu, said: “Mujhay aap ki kammi mehsoos hoi.”

When asked about India’s constant refusal to play bilateral cricket with Pakistan, Clarke said it was the matter related to both the countries and the ICC could not interfere. “If the ICC interferes in such issues, then that would not be called a bilateral issue,” he said.

To a question about the negative statement of FICA advising the players not to visit Lahore to play the PSL final, Clarke said he could not make any comment on it at the moment.

“After getting the security expert’s report, we will also meet the FICA representatives to brief them about the report to move forward,” he said.

He said it was very pleasant for him to tour the beautiful city of Lahore where he last visited in 1970.

PCB chairman Shaharyar M Khan and chairman executive committee Najam Sethi also attended the press conference.

Published in Dawn January 29th, 2017