Authorities gear up to host PSL matches at Qaddafi

–DC Sameer Ahmed appoints price control magistrates to keep a check on food prices at Qaddafi Stadium during PSL

–IGP Arif Nawaz directs provision of fresh meals, cool drinking water to personnel deployed on-field

LAHORE: With Pakistan Super League (PSL) eliminators just around the corner, authorities are gearing up to host the year’s biggest cricketing event in the city.

On the directives of Lahore Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sameer Ahmed Syed, a notification appointing price control magistrates in all enclosures of the Qaddafi Stadium has been released.

According to the notification, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today, as much as twelve price control magistrates will be performing their duties in different enclosures of the stadium during the PSL semi-finals that are to be played on March 20 and 21 in Lahore.

The magistrates at the stadium will be keeping a check on the vendors selling food items to the cricket enthusiasts, and will take any needed action against overpriced items.

Among the appointed magistrates are Model Town Deputy Tehsildar (tax officer) Munir Ahmed in the Javed Miandad enclosure, DGBT Sub Registrar Asif Hussain in the Saeed enclosure, Ravi Town Sub Registrar Murtaza Malik in the Hanif Muhammad and Zaheer Abbas enclosures, Iqbal Town Sub Registrar Shahid Yaqoob in the Sarfraz Nawaz enclosure, Gulberg Town Sub Registrar Haq Nawaz in the Saeed Anwar enclosure, Samnabad Town Sub Registrar Syed Iqbal Shah in the Rameez Raja enclosure, GA-I Umer Tayyab in the Abdul Qadir enclosure, Consolidation Collector Ghulam Sarwar in the Majid Khan enclosure, Model Town EASO Ahmad Saeed in the Nazar, Quaid and Inzimam enclosure, SHalamar EASO Rauf Ahmad in the Abdul Qadir enclosure, Nishtar Town Sub Registrar Asad Kazmi in the Fazal Mehmood enclosure and DC Office Superintendent Muhammad Anwar Sajid in the Imran Khan enclosure.

Separately, Lahore Inspector General of Police (IGP) Captain (r) Arif Nawaz has said that all the security personnel deployed at the Qaddafi Stadium during the PSL matches should be provided with fresh meals and cool drinking water.

“The meals should be freshly-prepared and hygienic,” he said and added that the provision of food to each and every police personnel and that too on time must be ensured.

Speaking after inspecting the police mobile canteen set up in connection with the PSL matches at the Central Police Office, he also said that proper diet of those appointed on field duty was the responsibility of the department and all necessary steps should timely be taken to avoid mismanagement.

Deputy Inspector General (Welfare) Waseem Sayal, on the occasion, told the Punjab IG that the mobile canteen – specially prepared for the PSL matches – was equipped with modern facilities and food for more than 1500 personnel could be kept warm in it for as much as 24 hours besides storing cool drinking water.

The IGP then said that the mobile canteen should be considered a pilot project, and if it turns out to be successful, more such canteens should be prepared for the welfare of police personnel of other districts, who perform special on-field duties.