Shootout in Lahore

[four_or_six]

'Security shameful' - Murali

I presume the PCB won't be reporting Murali to Sri Lankan cricket.

 

[ret]

Sad incident .... my condolonces to the families of those who died .... silver lining is probably that the death count is not what it could have been

Pakistan is making South Asia unstable. Whats troubling is that the terrorists operating in Pak are able to strike anywhere be it the link to 9/11, the Mumbai attacks, the attack on Indian parliament, the cleaning out of Kashmiri pandits in Kashmir. It's like those who dig hole for others, eventually fall in it themselves and thats what whats happening in Pakistan

IMO, Pak is a terrorist state despite it having some good blokes. You don't become a terrorist state overnight. It has been a long process. The govt, the military and to an extent the ppl have all been responsible of making Pak what it is today. What were the ppl doing when its govt of supporting terrorism in Kashmir? Have we ever heard a voice in Pakistan that said stop the terrorism in Kashmir? I guess those in the govt/military were heroes of doing all that. I don't recall ever hearing that Pakistan felt a thing for the Kashmiri pandits who have been getting butchered by their supported terrorist over the years?

Terrorism is not the only problem it faces. Economically too, Pak is in a mess. I remember reading reports that it could be one of the countries that could go bankrupt

Whats going to happen when/if the economy destabilizes with the terrorism gaining momentum and Pak having nuke capability?

I sincerely hope that things are sorted out before they get out of hand

*rant ends*

 

[Xuhaib]

PCB is being led by jokers, I will be surprised if anyone ever took their word on anything. Whatever security they ordered for the Teams just got owned by terrorists and now they are talking about filling a complain.

I think ICC should suspend Pakistan Cricket Board for not living up to its word on security and for pure incompetency.

Exactly what I am thinking.

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah, the competency of the actual policemen on patrol shouldn't be in question to such an extent. The real disgrace in the whole ordeal is that the PCB/Pakistani government promised a level of security that wasn't delivered and hence put the lives of everyone involved at massive risk.

 

[four_or_six]

It's not just the visiting team/ICC/bus drivers who have been let down, but the policemen who were killed. It seems that they have been put in a situation where they weren't able to respond sufficiently and now they have lost their lives trying to protect others.

 

[Evermind]

They were definately not given any presidential style security or even VIP security

Well no offence, but the presidential candidate Benazir was given "Presidential level security" apparently and look what happened.

What the cricket teams need is Osama- and Dawood Ibrahim-level security in Pakistan. Those guys are pretty well protected.

 

[Richard]

Well no offence, but the presidential candidate Benazir was given "Presidential level security" apparently and look what happened.

Because she apparently ignored directives given her.

 

[Richard]

'Security shameful' - Murali

I presume the PCB won't be reporting Murali to Sri Lankan cricket.

Wouldn't bet against it.

 

[jeevan]

Yeah, the competency of the actual policemen on patrol shouldn't be in question to such an extent. The real disgrace in the whole ordeal is that the PCB/Pakistani government promised a level of security that wasn't delivered and hence put the lives of everyone involved at massive risk.

But it seems to be...

There were 39 police officers on detail in the convoy, and 24 of them Elite Force.

 

[Xuhaib]

Well no offence, but the presidential candidate Benazir was given "Presidential level security" apparently and look what happened.

What the cricket teams need is Osama- and Dawood Ibrahim-level security in Pakistan. Those guys are pretty well protected.

It would be better if you stop taking cheap shots nobody is interested in entertaining your crap.

 

[Uppercut]

But it seems to be...

There were 39 police officers on detail in the convoy, and 24 of them Elite Force.

Were there? Where?

I suspect someone is talking out of the wrong hole.

 

[Fusion]

The security measures taken were simply pathetic. There’s no two ways about it. If this is what “Presidential level” security means, then no President of any kind is safe in Pakistan. It’s highly embarrassing and something the authorities (whether that be the PCB or the Pakistani government) need to answer for. I do disagree with Broad’s comments though. He seemed to imply that the umpire’s van was abandoned while the police ran away. He has no way of knowing what was going on outside the van. The police on the scene could’ve been engaged in a fierce fire-fight. In fact, the footage from the scene clearly shows the terrorist engaged in such a shootout. The fact that six policemen died means that the terrorists were confronted by some. Broad complained that it took a long while before someone took control of the van and drove it to safety. Well, it may have taken that long for someone to find a clear path to the van. The problem is not the bravery or commitment of the officers on the scene, the problem is the planning of the security itself. They clearly did not have enough officers or weapons. They also did not seem to have proper preparation/coordination that could’ve prevented the whole thing from happening. Like I said, it is embarrassing and a stain on whatever reputation Pakistan had left.

 

[SJS]

LIVING in a state of denial is fast becoming a Pakistani speciality. At least one senior police officer in Punjab and a federal minister insist there was no security lapse and that the police did all they could when the Sri Lankan cricket team came under attack. It is said that police officers died trying to save the Sri Lankans, who in the end escaped with injuries that were not life-threatening. This, it is claimed with an astonishing ignorance of the larger picture, is proof enough that there was no security lapse in Lahore on Tuesday morning. The policemen who laid down their lives did indeed do all they could under the circumstances. But the point is this: the circumstances should have been different. If security had been foolproof, there would been have no attackers and no casualties.

For months the Pakistan Cricket Board has claimed that visiting teams would be given the kind of security cover reserved for heads of state. This was clearly not the case in Lahore. The convoy should have been more heavily fortified and policemen posted every 50 yards or so all along the route, and that too from early morning. In that scenario, the assailants who so easily took up positions in the area would have either had to take on the policemen on duty, which would have alerted the teams while they were still at their hotel, or done nothing at all. The local superintendent of police in charge of VVIP security has apparently taken the plea that he was new to the job and did not know what measures to take. If true, this is a shameful stance to take.

At the same time there are conflicting reports about key errors in choosing a route to the stadium. The Gulberg police station is located a couple of minutes’ walk from where the assault took place, yet its personnel reached the scene after the assailants had fled. And all this when security agencies had informed the Punjab police in January about a possible attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore. After the ambush, the Punjab governor told all and sundry that the Sri Lankans would be ferried out by helicopter. This, clearly, was not the brainiest thing to do from a security point of view. Bringing the attackers to book must be the priority right now but the obvious security lapses should be investigated down to the last detail.​

- The Dawn, Pakistan

 

[Sanz]

The police on the scene could’ve been engaged in a fierce fire-fight. In fact, the footage from the scene clearly shows the terrorist engaged in such a shootout..

You are the only one who seems to have noticed that shootout between terrorists and police. From what we have seen it seems the terrorists were shooting at will for more than 5 minutes and then escaped at will.

Please do continue to live in denial, Cricket is dead in Pakistan for now and If this sort of denial continues, every other sport will.

 

[SJS]

It was amazing to see the gunmen walking around with their guns and shooting at the bus with no opposition in sight and now Geo TV has shown this dramatic video of terrorists escaping so casually from a side street still carrying some weapons.

 

[Fusion]

You are the only one who seems to have noticed that shootout between terrorists and police. From what we have seen it seems the terrorists were shooting at will for more than 5 minutes and then escaped at will.

Please do continue to live in denial, Cricket is dead in Pakistan for now and If this sort of denial continues, every other sport will.

Your opinion/comment is worthless to me because as usual you completely ignore what I actually wrote and misinterpret it to advance your bigoted agenda. Here are the first four sentences of my post:

The security measures taken were simply pathetic. There’s no two ways about it. If this is what “Presidential level” security means, then no President of any kind is safe in Pakistan. It’s highly embarrassing and something the authorities (whether that be the PCB or the Pakistani government) need to answer for.

As regards to what you quoted, I was simply pointing out that six policemen died on the scene. I’m willing to wager that some of them put up a fight with the terrorists. Therefore, my point was that I don’t think their bravery should be questioned, but rather their superior’s lack of planning and coordination. I’m embarrased and sickened by the security measures. And I already know that no International team will (understandably) come to Pakistan. Now go ahead and ignore the context of my post and continue your pathetic rants.

 

[Richard]

Seems Fus is saying basically the same thing as the chap\girl who SJS quotes here:

LIVING in a state of denial is fast becoming a Pakistani speciality. At least one senior police officer in Punjab and a federal minister insist there was no security lapse and that the police did all they could when the Sri Lankan cricket team came under attack. It is said that police officers died trying to save the Sri Lankans, who in the end escaped with injuries that were not life-threatening. This, it is claimed with an astonishing ignorance of the larger picture, is proof enough that there was no security lapse in Lahore on Tuesday morning. The policemen who laid down their lives did indeed do all they could under the circumstances. But the point is this: the circumstances should have been different. If security had been foolproof, there would been have no attackers and no casualties.

For months the Pakistan Cricket Board has claimed that visiting teams would be given the kind of security cover reserved for heads of state. This was clearly not the case in Lahore. The convoy should have been more heavily fortified and policemen posted every 50 yards or so all along the route, and that too from early morning. In that scenario, the assailants who so easily took up positions in the area would have either had to take on the policemen on duty, which would have alerted the teams while they were still at their hotel, or done nothing at all. The local superintendent of police in charge of VVIP security has apparently taken the plea that he was new to the job and did not know what measures to take. If true, this is a shameful stance to take.

At the same time there are conflicting reports about key errors in choosing a route to the stadium. The Gulberg police station is located a couple of minutes’ walk from where the assault took place, yet its personnel reached the scene after the assailants had fled. And all this when security agencies had informed the Punjab police in January about a possible attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore. After the ambush, the Punjab governor told all and sundry that the Sri Lankans would be ferried out by helicopter. This, clearly, was not the brainiest thing to do from a security point of view. Bringing the attackers to book must be the priority right now but the obvious security lapses should be investigated down to the last detail.​

- The Dawn, Pakistan

TBH, I do think that some comments questioning the police are at worst in bad taste and thoughtless. I understand that it must feel mighty bad to feel like you've been left at the mercy of armed attackers, but you do need to think mighty hard before accusing someone of doing so, because it's not easy to tell.

There is absolutely no doubt that some (not neccessarily all) of the police acted in an astoundingly selfless way, putting the lives of the cricketers (and maybe officials) before their own and quite possibly sacrificing their own lives and saving those of the cricketers (and maybe officials). So even if there were other police officers who fled and left the officials for the attackers to do whatever they wanted, it seems a tadge disrespectful to the memory of those who undoubtedly did act in an extraordinarily selfless manner.

 

[Uppercut]

Maybe their comments were disrespectful. Nevertheless, they're also more than likely to be true. If you watched Chris Broad's press conference he actually spent quite a bit more time paying tribute to those who died defending them than he did to criticising the security forces.

 

[four_or_six]

If you watched Chris Broad's press conference he actually spent quite a bit more time paying tribute to those who died defending them than he did to criticising the security forces.

Agree with this. Having watched the press conference and read the headlines, the headlines don't seem to me to represent the tone he was using. Mainly, he seemed upset at the loss of the driver whom he'd obviously got to know to some extent.

 

[Richard]

Maybe their comments were disrespectful. Nevertheless, they're also more than likely to be true. If you watched Chris Broad's press conference he actually spent quite a bit more time paying tribute to those who died defending them than he did to criticising the security forces.

He did? What a surprise, the juicy, likely-to-incite-controversy stuff quoted in every piece and the true tone of the conference painted with woeful inaccuracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What would this planet be like if The Press were less interested in selling papers and more interested in being fair to people?