Rawalpindi: To celebrate 150-year history of Test cricket, an event was held at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, organized by the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Sports Journalists Association (RISJA) with the support of Asghar Ali Mubarak, founding president of the South Asian Sports Journalists Association.
The purpose of the event was to pay tribute to the restoration of international cricket in Pakistan, the role played by the Rawalpindi Police in this regard, and the exemplary security arrangements implemented at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.
During the ceremony, the contributions of CPO Rawalpindi Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera, RPO Babar Sarfraz Alpa, IG Punjab Rao Abdul Karim, and the security forces were highly commended.
Representing the Punjab Police, SSP Operations Malik Tariq Mehboob stated that the professional conduct and public-friendly policing displayed during the cricket matches have enhanced the department’s prestige and honor—an achievement for which every officer and personnel deserves recognition. He added that, with the cooperation of the media, further improvements will be made in various areas.
Zahid Farooq Malik, a senior leader of the Pakistan Sports Writers Association, offered suggestions based on his international experience and called for the provision of better facilities for the media.
RISJA Chairman Shakeel Ahmed Awan reiterated the proposal to organize joint sports competitions to further strengthen the relationship between the media and the police. Secretary of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Sports Journalists Association (RISJA), Ms. Ambreen Ali, lauded the exemplary role of women within the police force. She noted that their outstanding service during cricket matches serves as a source of pride for all women.
Former RISJA President Shakir Abbasi highlighted the contributions of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Police toward the revival of cricket.
Addressing the event, senior journalist Asghar Ali Mubarak remarked that the excellent security arrangements provided by the Rawalpindi Police have received global acclaim—a matter of great pride for Pakistan.
Today, teams from across the globe prefer to play in Rawalpindi, which stands as a testament to superior policing. He announced that more such events would be organized in the Rawalpindi-Islamabad region. The chief guest, SSP Operations Rawalpindi, Malik Tariq Mehboob, presented shields to several individuals in recognition of their remarkable contributions to the promotion and development of cricket. Recipients included RISJA Chairman Malik Shakeel Awan, Secretary Ambreen Ali, Zahid Farooq Malik, Shakir Abbasi, Asghar Ali Mubarak, Adnan Farooq, Yasir Zafar, Zahid Khan, Asim Riaz, Chaudhry Sajjad Haider Gujjar, Farhan Jafri, Imran Suri, Ms. Fazeela, Nasir Abbas Naqvi, and other senior journalists.
