Security 'left us to be sitting ducks' claims Broad

[Bull]

Chris Broad: 'We were promised high level security and in our hour of need that security vanished. There was not a sign of a policeman anywhere' © PA Photos

Chris Broad landed back in Manchester and launched a stinging attack on the security in Lahore at the time of yesterday's attack which left eight people dead.

Broad, who was the ICC's match referee for the Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the city, accused the Pakistani authorities of leaving match officials as "sitting ducks" and claiming that players and officials arriving for the Test were not offered sufficient protection despite assurances given by the Pakistan board.

"I'm angry with the Pakistani security forces," Broad said. "We were promised high level security and in our hour of need that security vanished. There was not a sign of a policeman anywhere. They had clearly gone, left the scene and left us to be sitting ducks."

Broad has been praised for throwing himself on top of fellow official Eshan Raza as the vehicle they were travelling in came under fire. "Most of us were just waiting for a bullet to hit us," he said. Raza was shot during the attack and remains in intensive care in Lahore.

Broad went on to say that some of the security forces fled when the shooting started. "At some stage … someone opened the door of the van and an elite policeman threw himself inside and lay on top of me. That wasn't particularly brave. When the shooting stopped, I shouted at him to drive us away but he said: 'I don't drive.'"

But it was Broad's claims that he had flagged concerns about the security before the start of the series that will raise issues. "I raised my concerns with the ICC before the tour started and they passed on those concerns to the Pakistan board. They assured me through e-mail that all security would be taken care of, presidential-style security. And clearly that didn't happen."

Cricinfo - Security 'left us to be sitting ducks' claims Broad

 

[S-2]

"They assured me through e-mail that all security would be taken care of, presidential-style security. And clearly that didn't happen."

Since when has that kept an attempt from happening? How many times was there an attempt upon Musharraf? Benazir Bhutto not sufficiently high-profile? For all we know, these gentlemen may have received the best which Pakistan can offer.

They're alive, aren't they?

 

[waseemm]

I wouldnt read too much into this 'crap'.
No-one over here in the UK cares as to what happened in Pakistan, it was and i say 'was' on peoples lips for an hour or so and that was that.

And to discredit ones security personnel and organisation is dismal when one does not know anything about security.
You will never see any positive piece of journalistic work in any British form of media regarding Pakistan.

The people responsible for the state the country is in are the politicians, fighting for any scrap left. They have money power and influence, and they only allow family members to become puppets to a regime that has no head!!!

Afghanistan haas better politicains that pakistan.
Why has there never been a president or prime minister from amongst the poor.
Because they would lynch the rich and provide for the poor throughout pakistan.

Its depressing talking about pakistan when you have idiots in power of that country, filling their pockets and talking nonsense.

 

[roadrunner]

To be honest, his statement defies logic.

If all the policemen simply ran away, how come noone was able to blow up or board the bus and finish off the cricketers.

There was clearly resistance from the police.

I'll agree with Broad to the extent they should have cordoned off routes, and taken it more seriously.

But he's simply wrong that a policeman throwing himself on top of him is a cowardly act. That policeman was taking evasive action, and then most likely firing back. That is what they're taught to do. Not commit suicide. All in all, I think the policeman did well in the situation. No Sri Lankan was hurt more than minorly, so they clearly handled it.

 

[Khajur]

"They assured me through e-mail that all security would be taken care of, presidential-style security. And clearly that didn't happen."

Since when has that kept an attempt from happening? How many times was there an attempt upon Musharraf? Benazir Bhutto not sufficiently high-profile? For all we know, these gentlemen may have received the best which Pakistan can offer.

They're alive, aren't they?

Well,if Srilankans are alive today,its because of one person.
In the words of spinner Muthai Muralidharan "the bus driver saved us".
The bus driver had enough courage & presene of mind to stear clear the bus out of harms way in between the exchange of fire.

Also one can give due credit to their luck like SriLankan captain did.The RPG just narrowly missed the bus hitting a road side electric pole.

Those attackers left the scene only when the found that bus carrying the Srilankan players was gone.Before that Chris Broad & other match offcials were sitting ducks in a separate van amidst gunfire which lasted more than 15 minutes.

One cant blame Chris Broad for being apprehensive about the incident as he had seen his van driver dead & anther umpire seriously injured in front of him inside the van he was traveling that morning.

 

[S-2]

Khajur, you missed my larger point. What was Broad doing there at all? As I said earlier, since when has "presidential" level security in Pakistan precluded an attack? If never, why would you draw solace from this assurance such that you'd referee such an event?

 

[Patriot]

They should used chopper to pick up the cricketers from PC and then land them in Stadium or Provide Military Commandos who would have easily taken care of the situation.Regardless, 5 Police Officers still gave their life to save this prick.

 

[Khajur]

Khajur, you missed my larger point. What was Broad doing there at all? As I said earlier, since when has "presidential" level security in Pakistan precluded an attack? If never, why would you draw solace from this assurance such that you'd referee such an event?

I guess this time everybody had their final lession that pakistan cant provide full proof security no matter what it claims...beside that this time there were so many lapses in the security though pakistan had promised to provide the best security that only 'heads of states' receive.

 

[Bull]

To be honest, his statement defies logic.

If all the policemen simply ran away, how come noone was able to blow up or board the bus and finish off the cricketers.

There was clearly resistance from the police.

I'll agree with Broad to the extent they should have cordoned off routes, and taken it more seriously.

But he's simply wrong that a policeman throwing himself on top of him is a cowardly act. That policeman was taking evasive action, and then most likely firing back. That is what they're taught to do. Not commit suicide. All in all, I think the policeman did well in the situation. No Sri Lankan was hurt more than minorly, so they clearly handled it.

The motive was clear, spread fear, kill the Pakistani image and prove this as the unsafest place, hurt the GOP as much as possible. Killing the SriLankan was never in the agenda, the rocket missing the bus, grenade missing the bus, 25 minutes of AK 47 rfile fire leaving behind few bullet marks all point to that. If they were there to kill, they would ahve died trying.

 

[Bull]

"I think that security arrangement for the Test tour was relatively relaxed when compared to the three-match ODI series. There was a massive security cover for the ODIs, but I think they would have never expected such attacks on cricketers," Dilshan told reporters as he hugged his little-son seconds after disembarking from a chartered Sri Lankan Airlines jet.

 

[jeypore]

Khajur, you missed my larger point. What was Broad doing there at all? As I said earlier, since when has "presidential" level security in Pakistan precluded an attack? If never, why would you draw solace from this assurance such that you'd referee such an event?

Mr. S-2 you are missing a larger point here.

There was a security lapse here presidential or not. The attack clearly was by the stadium, where the checkpoints should have been enforced properly. These terrorist were hiding in the small bushes behind the security checkpoints. Shouldn't the check points be the first defense against such actions? Also, the Bus was not even bullet proof, which clearly proves the point against Presidential treatment. And lastly the police were undergunned, hence no terrorist was killed at the site and had an easy escape.

 

[S-2]

I don't think that I'm missing the point at all and, in fact, have made my own salient point.

There's no security available in Pakistan to protect any personage from attack. Mr. Broad should have recognized conditions for what they are and not agreed to referee this event. You suggest that things could have been done better at Lahore. So?

I suggest that security is done as well as possible with President Musharraf and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and attacks happened regardless-some successfully.

Any high profile event in Pakistan is, these days, a non-starter. Anybody can be reached by a variety of means for a myriad of reasons. Nobody is today safe in Pakistan.

 

[LankaPride]

Such a disgrace. I am not only angry at our politicians who sent our team as some sorta political stun. Ranatunga as well. These are national treasures and shouldn't have been used for geo-political brownie points. The Govt has already mandated that the players say nothing critical.

Secondly after watching the Video of Broad's Press Conference. The man is shaken up and his account is corroborated by the people around including the PAKISTANI umpires life he saved.

This part really incensed me. Per the Telegraph(cant link yet)

Broad was hailed a hero as he shielded wounded Pakistani umpire Ahsan Raza on the floor of the van after at least a dozen armed terrorists opened fire ahead of the third day of the Second Test yesterday.

"Once the shooting had died down, Nadeem Ghouri (a Test umpire) put his head up to see and there was no-one there," he recalled.

"At some stage an elite policeman went into the van and ended lying on top of me. It was not a particularly brave thing for him to do.

"I told him he must get us away but he said in broken English that he could not drive.

"Eventually another policeman opened the front door and he took the driver out unceremoniously and dumped him on the floor and drove us to the ground."

You people should ashamed at what your Govt and security forces in light of what they guaranteed and what they sadly did. No one knows how the men who lost their lives died....they might have been cut down while running like the rest of these men. And what kinda of police offer or commando can't drive?

All this blame shifting and pride and propaganda is worth crap when survivors recount the truth.

 

[tamir]

Such a disgrace. I am not only angry at our politicians who sent our team as some sorta political stun. Ranatunga as well. These are national treasures and shouldn't have been used for geo-political brownie points. The Govt has already mandated that the players say nothing critical.

Secondly after watching the Video of Broad's Press Conference. The man is shaken up and his account is corroborated by the people around including the PAKISTANI umpires life he saved.

This part really incensed me. Per the Telegraph(cant link yet)


You people should ashamed at what your Govt and security forces in light of what they guaranteed and what they sadly did. No one knows how the men who lost their lives died....they might have been cut down while running like the rest of these men. And what kinda of police offer or commando can't drive?

All this blame shifting and pride and propaganda is worth crap when survivors recount the truth.

People died protecting your team. Security detail should have been better, no doubt about that.
Now.... you should be ashamed for making cheap comments like this. You think only your team and coaches are survivors?!?!? Please keep your "national treasures" home next time.

 

[LankaPride]

People died protecting your team. Security detail should have been better, no doubt about that.
Now.... you should be ashamed for making cheap comments like this. You think only your team and coaches are survivors?!?!? Please keep your "national treasures" home next time.

I'm fully aware that they died in the line of their duty. My anger is directed more toward the security establishment and the Govt than the individuals although the personnel by everyone account did not inspire confidence. The point is being made repeatedly that 6 died so therefore the best security was provided which is a derailed logic train.

Lots of posts here have been linked to lankanews forums and all I see BS jingoistic garbage. No anger at the perpetrators or the govt into bringing them to account. Just huff and puff with ********.

The more I think about the more it appears just as the Capt said...this might have been an inside job. After all these attacks takes months of prep and it was India who were supposed to be touring if it weren't for the Bombay attacks.