2008 Asia Cup Cricket - Is Pakistan a Safe Venue?

Pakistan Cricket Board is leaving no stone unturn toKarachi will also host the Castrol Annual Cricket
make the forthcoming 2008 Asia Cup Tournament aAwards either on June 27 or 28, in almost all the
huge and successful event. They want to prove asenior cricket players including Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul
point - despite previous security concerns theDravid and Sourav Ganguly are expected to
country has faced due to various terrorist activities,attend.The trio, however are not there in the Indian
including the recent Embassy bomb blast in thesquad for the Asia Cup 2008 due to injuries.
Capital city, Pakistan want to prove that the countryBefore the Asia Cup, the ICC will also launch the
is a safe venue for hosting major international2008 Champions Trophy with the logo unveiling
tournaments.This is the first time Pakistan will beceremony on June 18 in Lahore with ICC's acting
hosting the 2008 Asia Cup in a country where cricketchief executive Dave Richardson holding a press
is not simply a game, instead it is believed andconference in the city.Pakistan will host the
followed religiously by the mass. Definitely this is aChampions trophy from September 11 in Karachi,
great opportunity for Pakistan to make it clear to theLahoreand Rawalpindi and the tournament involves all
world that it can host such big event inspite ofthe major cricketing nations of the world - Australia,
various difficulties it is facing at the home front. TheSouth Africa, India, England, Pakistan, New Zealand,
Asia Cup will be hosted in Pakistan from June 24 toSri Lanka and the West Indies.
July 6 and it has invited many senior delegates ofAll the above factors clearly shows that Pakistan is
some several nations to attend special ceremoniesthe right choice for the venue of 2008 Asia Cup
including a seminar on cricket and the silver jubileeCricket Tournament and the event will be a
celebrations of the Asian Cricket Council here.successful international event in world cricket history.