A memorial ceremony in connection with the first anniversary of the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team was held here at Liberty roundabout on Wednesday. A delegation of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) led by its Chief Operating Officer (COO) Wasim Bari and Director Cricket Operations visited the site and laid a wreath.
They also offered fateha for the martyrs of the victims. It may be noted that six members of the Sri Lankan cricket squad were wounded when gunmen attacked their bus at Liberty roundabout on March 3, 2009 on their way to Gaddafi Stadium to play the third day of Second Test against host Pakistan. Six policemen and two civilians were also killed.
On the first anniversary of the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohammad Ijaz Butt paid tributes to the memories of those who lost their lives on that horrific day.
Ijaz Butt said, "We pause to remember the victims, to grieve with the families and friends of those who died, and to honour the heroes of that day who sacrificed their lives to save others. Even though a year has passed, it has not erased the shock, horror and pain that we all felt on that day.
We all remembered where we were when we heard the news, and the disbelief that we felt at first, and then the sorrow. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the victims. PCB will stand shoulder to shoulder with the families of victims to help them recover from the devastating loss that they had suffered."
Cricketers believe that attack on Sri Lankan team on March 3, 2009 caused an irreparable loss to the game of cricket in Pakistan. Due to non-arrival of foreign cricket teams, Pakistan is bound to play home series against different cricket teams at Abu Dhabi, they added.
Another memorial ceremony was held at Liberty Chowk to mark the first anniversary of the attack on Sri Lankan cricket team. Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan visited the site of the attack and paid tribute to the traffic wardens and police cops, who laid down their lives while escorting the Sri Lankan cricket team.