Authorities implement sweeping security measures as Pakistan is set to host its first multi-country cricket event in nearly 30 years when the ICC Champions Trophy begins on Wednesday.

The south Asian nation hopes to erase worries of instability in the country and restore confidence in it as a tourism and investment destination.

For the Champions Trophy, police in Lahore, Karachi and the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have deployed over 20 000 troops, including snipers on rooftops along key routes. Hotels where players will stay, stadiums and airports will be heavily guarded as will the roads connecting these locations.

Police have said they will provide “iron clad” security to both players and supporters.

Punjab police said they have updated surveillance systems and installed around 10,000 AI-powered facial recognition cameras and additional CCTV cameras across the two cities.

Karachi police said they have set up an additional SWAT unit to respond to emergencies and conducted preventive intelligence operations to identify potential threats.

Senior police official, a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) who is responsible for security, Maqsood Ahmed, said in Karachi that over 5000 police officers were being deployed and alongside other law enforcement agencies like Rangers and Pakistan army to cover the emergencies as a secondary reaction force.

He said they had established four command and control centres inside and outside the stadium along with a moving command and control bus which would be looking after all the security arrangement outside the stadium.

He said they had improved traffic plan to avoid any traffic jams in the city which locals acknowledged.