The Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked by about a dozen terrorists on Tuesday morning when the bus carrying the team was heading to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day's play of the second Test match. According to details, at about 8.40 am, when the bus carrying the Sri Lankan team reached Liberty Market, situated next to the Gaddafi Stadium, the terrorists fired a rocket, which was sensibly dodged by the bus driver.
NATION IS ASHAMED AND SADDENED; INTERNATIONAL CRICKET UNLIKELY TO RETURN FOR SOME TIME It was followed by indiscriminate firing, which continued till 8:55 am. Eight people, including seven policemen, were killed and injuring six Sri Lankan cricketers and two officials. Besides five passers-by were also injured.
The Sri Lankan tour was immediately called off after the attack followed by a fly back of the Sri Lankan cricket team. The injured Sri Lankan players included Ajantha Mendis, Tharanga Paranavitana, Thilan Samaraweera, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
Sri Lankan team head coach Trevor Bayliss, match reserve umpire S M Raza and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Liaison Officer Abdul Sami Khan were also among the injured. All the 13 injured, including two Sri Lankan players, were taken to the Services hospital for medical treatment.
The Sri Lankan players were taken to the Gaddafi Stadium from where they were airlifted by a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) helicopter to Lahore airport and team flew back to Sri Lanka. However, the terrorists escaped from the scene after exchange of heavy firing with the security officials for about 15 minutes. They left their weapons in different areas close to the crime scene.
The provincial administration beefed up security and initiated search operation in the areas adjacent to the scene, besides checking credentials of people staying in different city hotels. According to the eyewitnesses, soon after the incident, the bomb disposal squad reached the spot and started search operation.
They defused a bomb installed in a car at the Liberty square. Another bomb was defused in Firdous Market parking area.
The police till the filing of this report arrested about 12 suspects. Further search operation was under way in different localities of the city, including Makkah Colony where the police found a bag full of arms. The police was also in the process of releasing sketches of the terrorists. Meanwhile, similar bags of weapons were also found at nine other places in the city.
The city police Chief Haji Habibur Rehman told media that none of the terrorists was killed or arrested in the incident. He said a special team is constituted to investigate and report to the Prime Minister within 24 hours. The police officials killed in fire exchange with terrorists included Faisal Butt, Mudassar, Ali Raza, Sultan, Tanvir, Mehmood and Zahid.
The terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricket team panicked the citizens at large. Majority of them was glued to the TV screens to get updates on the incident. The rocket fire on the Sri Lankan team bus thundered the areas adjacent to the Liberty market and many youngsters rushed to the scene. Many ambulances were actively transporting the injured ones to the hospitals.
Meanwhile, the escape of the terrorists from the scene panicked many dwellers in the neighbourhood and they had locked themselves in their homes. There were also reports that the terrorists tried to get in different residences. Many parents rushed to the schools and girls colleges to inquire about the safety of their children.
Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer visited the scene and strongly condemned the incident. He termed it a targeted killing and said such an incident could take place anywhere in the world. The Governor vowed to be alive to the terrorist activities and said such elements could never fulfil their ulterior motives.
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