PAK vs SL 2025: Security beefed for Sri Lankan team after Islamabad blast

Following a suicide bombing outside a judicial building in Islamabad that killed 12 people and injured many more, Pakistan has tightened security precautions for the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team. The decision comes amid heightened worry over extremist activity in the country, particularly those related to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The current attack has sparked concerns about terrorism ahead of Sri Lanka’s limited-overs series in Pakistan. Given the chilling recollection of the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, which halted international cricket in Pakistan for nearly a decade, officials have taken no chances this time. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the federal government have guaranteed the safety of the visiting players and officials.

Mohsin Naqvi personally meets the Sri Lanka

PCB Chairman and Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi personally met the Sri Lankan squad to reassure them of foolproof security arrangements. Naqvi, who also held meetings with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, Admiral (Retd) Fred Seneviratne, emphasized that the team was being treated as state guests and that every possible precaution was in place.

Following the Islamabad blast and a foiled terrorist attack at the Wana Cadet College, where security forces safely evacuated over 300 students, the Pakistani government blamed the TTP and pointed fingers at Afghanistan’s Taliban regime for allowing militants to use its territory for cross-border operations. Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have been high since peace talks in Doha collapsed earlier this year.

Federal Information Minister Ata Tarar confirmed that quick action by the security forces prevented another large-scale tragedy reminiscent of the 2018 Peshawar school attack. The latest developments have led to the deployment of Pakistan Army personnel and paramilitary Rangers to oversee the Sri Lankan team’s security.

Multiple security activities, including escorts, surveillance teams, and restricted movement zones, have been introduced around the team’s hotel, training grounds, and match venues. Pakistan’s history with international cricket security remains sensitive. Three years ago, New Zealand abruptly cancelled a white-ball series in Rawalpindi minutes before the first match, citing credible threats.