How about a team of Pakistani expats in PSL ?

Cricketers of Pakistani-origin in the contemporary cricket world can be widely traced. Three out of sixteen members of English Test cricket squad touring Bangladesh these days are of Pakistani-descent. They are batting all-rounder Moin Ali, leg spinner Adil Rasheed and left arm spin bowler Zafar Ansari. Earlier before them, many English Test cricketers of Pakistani origin like -- most recently and notably -- fast bowler Sajid Mahmood and batsman Owais Shah had also represented England national cricket team before their unannounced retirement from Test cricket. The families of Moin Ali and Adil Rasheed belongs to Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, immigrated and settled in England decades ago, while Zafar Ansari is the son of Khizar Hayat Ansari who is a famed scholar migrated from Lahore and whose elder son Akber Ansari is also a first class cricketer in England.

 These are not the only international cricketers of Pakistani-origin in the contemporary cricket world, in fact the list goes on a bit further. As in the Australian national team there are Test opener Usman Khwaja who born in Islamabad and leg spinner Fawad Ahmed who left his native land because of security threats from radical militants in 2010 and inducted in Australia national cricket team in 2013.

Imran Tahir needs no introduction. The South African leg spinner born in Lahore and even represented Pakistan under-19 and Pakistan A teams. However, when he saw that he could not progress further because of bundles of quality spinners already present in Pakistan, he decided to ply his trade in South Africa. After years of playing county and domestic cricket in South Africa he represented the Proteas in 2011. Similarly Zimbabwe Test batsman Sikandar Raza born in Sialkot and emigrated to Zimbabwe in 2001 to make his debut as Zimbabwe Test cricketer in 2013.  

Usman Khwaja, Fawad Ahmed, Imran Tahir, Moin Ali, Adil Rasheed, Zafar Ansari, Sikander Raza all belonged to the ICC full member cricket playing nations, while there are hundreds of more cricket internationals who are of Pakistani origin but playing for other ICC associate and affiliate member countries like Canada, China, USA, UAE and etc, making Pakistan the top exporter of cricketers worldwide.

The fame of Pakistani-descent international cricketers comes at times when international cricket activities are extinct in Pakistan. Because of fragile law and order situation not only international sportsmen and teams are reluctant to travel Pakistan, the country (with the exception of limited overs series against Zimbabwe in 2013), has not held any international match since the attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009. So Pakistan is dependent on Gulf emirates as home to hold their bilateral cricket series and other cricketing events of international repute for the survival of the game and their cricket fraternity. 

Most importantly, Pakistan has been forced to hold their first ever professional and most lucrative Twenty-20 event the Pakistan Super League (PSL) away from their land, because foreign cricketers as usually fear to travel and play in Pakistan citing security concerns. Despite that the first edition of the Twenty-20 league was marked with huge success contemplating the PCB to expend the event in terms of participation. According to plans for the first two annual editions the league would be limited to five teams representing four provinces and federal capital. But after that the number of teams will be increased bringing Azad Kashmir or the fifth province Gilgit Baltistan in their format. However, while doing so the Pakistan cricket authorities haven't considered yet the important chapter of overseas nationals and Pakistani expatriates. At a time when the country is facing threat of international isolation, it needs passionate unity and collective participation of people from all walk of life including the "Little Pakistan."

The need of any professional cricket league in Pakistan was being long felt. However, the problems the country was to face (and is still facing) that it could not experiment any new cricket event at home because foreign cricketers were not willing to play in Pakistan for security reasons. More serious, these days mega and popular sports event are at high risk even in safe and developed countries because they are supposed to be attractive targets of terrorist providing them platform to flex their muscles to attain world-wide exposure. And, Pakistan' delicate law and order situation is an open secret. So,  Pakistan Cricket Board had to launch the event abroad in depleting conditions. Because of limited resources and revenue it was difficult to attract and convince franchise owners to invest in a league which was yet to launch or in experimental phase. So the PCB started it with five franchise teams namely Islamabad United, Karachi Kinds, Lahore Qalender, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiator, and brought them in agreement for two years. But now they are looking to expend the size of the league in terms of number of teams. A Franchise of Kashmir is almost certain (as tweeted by the PSL head Najam Sethi) However, there is still a need that Pakistanis from all walk of life, living at home or abroad, must be represented at this global forum, that's why Pakistani expats now deserve this partaking.   

The concept looks flimsy, and definitely it is only one of its kind but not out of context keeping in mind the current scenario and problems faced by Pakistan. It is the only cricket nation who hold their home matches outside their homeland depriving local spectatorship and losing a sizable gate money in their exchequer. Their cricketers are officially barred to play in the Indian Premier League and the game' governing body the ICC is toothless on that matter. If Pakistan can be granted to hold their international cricket matches and the professional Twenty-20 league abroad for security reasons why can't, in these circumstances, a franchise of Pakistani diaspora be fielded in PSL, ideally representing international cricketers of Pakistani-decent or expat Pakistani cricketers blended with required quota of foreign internationals in a Playing-XI. That will enhance the sporting image of Pakistan as a global partner, provide more attraction to the event , force international community to reconsider about Pakistan sporting isolation and retain the confidence of Pakistani expatriates living around the world.

   

These Overseas Pakistanis who are now vital organ of national economy deserve credible importance and active representation in the country' socio cultural arrangements. Around eight million overseas Pakistanis  are remitting more than $1.5 billion monthly, making a significant contribution in national exchange reserves. The State Bank of Pakistan expects remittances to cross $20 billion this financial year, the highest ever in their history. Keeping in mind the importance of these expatriates, the state of Pakistan has not only allowed them to retain dual or multiple nationality but also is going to facilitate them in use of their political enfranchisement for the next general election through electronic voting. Therefore a team based on overseas Pakistanis origin in the PSL will further provide them greater sense of national ownership and a genuine representation at the highest international sports forum.

For the 2017 PSL draft a number of international cricketers, both nationals and foreigners, have been inducted in the list recently and their selection will going to be finalised in the next week. Thereafter the dates of the PSL-2017 will be finally scheduled in the Governing Council' meeting. Where, it would be a wise time to introduce the concept of an additional team of Overseas Pakistanis for the third edition of PSL, held in 2018.

The move of inducting overseas Pakistanis team can win back the confidence of cricket talent which is leaving the country because of limited choices and security threats at home-- as happened in the case of Imran Tahir and Fawad Ahmed respectively.  

By M. Wasim

mwasim.370@gmail.com

(Written for Tribune October 14, 2016)

Culprits of 2009 Sri Lankan cricket team attack, met their fate.

Hopes of international cricket returns to Pakistan have begun breathing again with the death of the organiser of the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team. Qari Ajmal a fugitive leader of the banned Lashker e Jhangwi was killed in a joint operation by the NATO and Afghan troops in Afghanistan province of Patika on October 9, 2016. With his death almost all the culprits involved in the attack have finally met to their ends.

That attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team is globally considered as one of the most impactful act of sports terrorism, when a bus carrying cricketers and officials was attacked with AK-47 rifles and grenades near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 3, 2009. Seven players and an assistant coach were wounded while two passengers and six Pakistani security personnel died defending them during the attack. Since then international teams and sportsmen refused to play in Pakistan and similar kind of terror incidents were started increasing on local sports fraternity. Sports were declining in the country and in terms of quality and world rankings Pakistan were legging behind in various sports disciplines  The country has become a "Sporting Pariah" and is forced to hold home cricket series and other sports events in the UAE.

Pakistan security officials during their investigation arrested more two dozen suspects in connection with the attacks belonged to Jaish e Mohammed and Lashkar e Jhangwi, outlawed militant groups with close links to Al Qaeda. According to  their reveals the attack was believed to have been carried out by Lashkar e Jhangwi, led and masterminded by Mohammed Aqeel alias Dr. Usman.  

Under the operations of the Zerb e Azb and National Action Plan in 2014, Pakistan witnessed a shift of internal security command from provincial police to military establishment. These para military forces have launched serious and robust military operations against all kind of religious extremists and ethnic militants across the country. Anti-terrorism and Military courts established in the provinces and moratorium on death sentence was  lifted from laws.

On June 22, 2016, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore indicted six people for involvement in the 2009 attack on Sri Lanka’s cricket team in an in-camera proceeding held at Lahore Central Jail. These suspects namely Adnan Arshad, Ibrahim Khalil, Obaidullah, Javed Anwar, Abdul Wahab, and Zubair pleaded not guilty. Earlier the court had already declared two suspects, Mohsin Rasheed and Abdul Rehman, as proclaimed offenders.

However, on August 2016 in Lahore in a police encounter four terrorists were killed  among them three Zubair alias Naik Muhammad, Abdul Wahab and Adnan Arshad were allegedly involved in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009. The rest of the convicted are behind bars. Their leader Mohammed Aqeel, who escaped a police raid at his home on 9 March 2009,  was later captured in October 2009 while holding hostages and trying to blow himself up. He was sentenced to death by a military court in 2011 and  in the evening of December 19, 2014 Aqeel was hanged till death with many other militants.

 The head of the Lashkar e Jhangwi Malik Ishaq and the main alleged instigator of the attack, had already been killed  in July 2015 during a crossfire between militants and personnel of Counter-Terrorism Department. And, now on October 9, 2016, with the death of Qari Ajmal the alleged organiser of the attack, almost all the culprits involved in the terror incident have been vanished.

The impacts of the Zarb e Azb and National Action Plan are remarkably positive, as they have definitely succeeded in restoring some peace and stability in Pakistan. The law and order situation has improved and religious militancy has reduced in the country. And, these operations are the reasons that culprits involved in the Sri Lankan cricket team attack, and depriving Pakistani spectators to watch international sports and cricket at home, are no more in the world.

Now people can hope that international cricket activities and other sports events can be staged at home soil without any untoward incident. Yet, it is still up to Pakistan sports authorities and let's see when they start to prioritise sports.        

By M. Wasim

mwasim.370@gmail.com

Barmy Army avoids come to support amid security fears

Reg Dickason, the England Cricket Board's security chief who endorsed the tour after a field trip to Bangladesh, expressed his satisfaction with the safety measures after his team arriving in the South Asian country for 3-week long Test and limited over Series . Extremely tight security measures are being followed and war-like rehearals (in case of emergency) are carried out by Bangladesh sports security because Australia had already pulled out of a planned tour a year ago after their cricket board cited a "risk of terrorism", so this time the Bangladesh Cricket Board is desperate to avoid the fate of Pakistan who -- apart from a lone series against Zimbabwe -- have not hosted any international cricket since gunmen attacked Sri Lanka's team bus during a 2009 Test in Lahore.

However, when Dickason told reporters. "The security overall ... in Bangladesh is outstanding" and "It gives a lot of confidence," it would really impress the Barmy Army, who declined to travel with the English cricket team owing to prevailng security concerns. A few excrepts of their detailed statement on their website reads out as;

"Behind the scenes we have been liaising with the ECB and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and have now received advice from the latter. We have been supplied with a list of hotels in Dhaka and Chittagong that will receive protection from the Bangladesh Police and been told that England supporters will be afforded their own segregated area within the stadium.

"However on the issue of escorts to and from stadiums (where due to local traffic conditions supporters will be most vulnerable to attack), we have been supplied with the contact details of a private security company, the implication being that any extra security will have be at supporter's own expense. Whilst we are grateful that the BCB are taking an interest, we feel these measures do not yet go far enough to persuade us to go against FCO advice.

"It is a matter of great regret that we feel unable to endorse travel to Bangladesh. Those of us lucky enough to have visited this country on previous tours have lasting and fond memories of a warm welcome, friendly locals and wonderful food. Perhaps the greatest pleasure being able to mix freely with the general population, particularly in and around the stadiums. We were also able to wander and explore the teeming cities of Dhaka  and Chittagong without fear. FCO advice specifically warns against such activities."

The concerns over security for England's tour of Bangladesh began after Dhaka, the nation's capital, suffered a terrorist attack in July that left many dead, casting doubt over whether Bangladesh's security forces could guarantee the England team's safety. Besides the Barmy Army, the incident also compelled the English team ODI captain Eoin Morgan and opening batsmen Alex Hales to opt out of the Bangladesh tour.

 However, the way Bangladesh security personnel have demostrated their security capability ahead of Test series, it definatly do away the English cricketers concerns. Their hotels in which English team stays has been given several layers of extra security and  on their way to Fatullah stadium, they are accorded with VVIP security which doesn't allow the fleet of vehicles to stop at any crossing or roundabout in the busy Bangladesh capital. The forces involved in maintaining security in this series include the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, SWAT, Special Branch, Detective Branch, Rapid Action Battalion and the Bomb Disposal Unit.

By M. Wasim

mwasim.370@gmail.com