The Indian national tennis team, which is in Islamabad for the upcoming Davis Cup 2024 World Group I play-off tie versus Pakistan for the first time in 60 years, is reportedly being accorded “Head of State” level security by the host nation.
A bomb disposal squad will sanitise the Islamabad Sports Complex every morning, and two escort vehicles will shadow the Indian Davis Cup team during its travel as part of multi-layer security arrangement, which is usually accorded to the Head of State, to ensure the visiting tennis players’ safety and security, PTI reports.
The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) is following the security plan that has been approved by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), which means that the Indian players will mostly be restricted to the venue and the hotel.
“Since an Indian team has come to Pakistan after 60 years, we are taking extra precaution. There are four to five layers of security around the Indian team. I, as event security manager, is with them during travel,” Col Gul Rehman, who is the secretary general of PTF, told PTI.
The Indian contingent, that has five players, two physios and two AITA officials, arrived in Islamabad on Sunday night.
“Escort vans are with the team during travel time, and they enter the hotel from the VVIP entry, which is reserved for Head of State. Bomb disposal squads sanitised the venue in the morning, and no one will be allowed to enter the venue. It will be a drill that will be followed throughout the tie,” he said.
“Islamabad is one of the safest cities in Asia. And since general elections are approaching, security is already tight. Then there is air surveillance, there are around 10,000 cameras deployed in the city. There will be no compromise on safety and security of the Indian players,” he said.
The teams of Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), Islamabad Police, traffic police, and others are on the job.
“It’s an honour not just for the PTF but also for Pakistan to host the Indian team. We believe in sports diplomacy,” Rehman said.
The Davis Cup 2024 World Group I play-off tie is set to take place on February 3-4 on the grass courts of the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad.
