By Farzana Shah - from Pakistan
Lahore , 03 March, (Asiantribune.com): About four suspected persons have been arrested from Model Town area of Lahore, capital of Punjab Province of Pakistan in connection with attack on Sri Lankan team killing 7 persons.
A red color centero car No LRM-7030 has been seized which was said to be snatched by the terrorists for fleeing the area.
Scene of Sri Lankan Cricketers being attacked
It is clear contradiction of earlier statement by Chief City Police Officer Lahore Habibur Rehman, stating terrorists ran towards Fardous Market. Fardous Market and Model Town are on opposite sides.
The firing and attack came from posh Liberty area which has Liberety Market on one side, Opposite to that is Cricket Stadium and on the other side is Kalma Chowk and Jail Road.
Earlier about seven persons including 5 security personnel had been killed while eight people including five Sri Lankan cricketers have been injured when three gunmen opened fired on a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricket team to Gaddafi Stadium Tuesday.
Three gunmen armed with sophisticated weapons attacked the bus killing seven people; five among them are elite police squad guarding the cricket teams. The killed include Faisal Zafar, Tepu Farid, Mudasir, Tanveer, Zafar and Nadeem.
Five cricketers, including Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardana, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga received minor injuries. The Sri Lankan cricketers are out of danger whereas Pakistani umpire Ali Raza is being operated for bullet injury.
The attackers first used a rocket launcher attack aimed at the bus but apparently it seems an attempt to create panic as it missed and hit shop after which the terrorists resorted to indiscriminate firing on the bus. The attacker are said to has come in a white Corolla car bearing Karachi registration number. The elite police force responded quickly which have saved many lives.
Sports producer Gavin Scovell said security teams responded quickly. "The guards were brilliant. They weren't panicking. They were very calm," Scovell said. "It must have been a terrifying experience, but they handled it well."
CCOP Lahore told the media that attackers were sophisticatedly armed with LPGs, G-3s and AK-47s, grenades and other equipment.
The timing of the attack is very crucial due to political tension between the two biggest political parties of Pakistan – the ruling Pakistan People’s Part of late Bhutto and Pakistan Muslim League of opposition leader Nawaz Sharif.
After disqualification of Nawaz and his brother Shahbaz Sharif who was chief minister of biggest province of Pakistan, the Zardari government had dissolved Punjab provincial government and Governor Rule had been implemented for two months.
Almost entire tire of Punjab police department was reshuffled by the central government overnight.
Some commentators are also pointing fingers at ill-timed postings and transfers which they say might have also created some confusion regarding security arrangements.
However the government officials say security was all satisfactory and provided to utmost.
The president of Awami Muslim Shiekh Rashid while speaking to media said influence factor must not be ruled out, adding that some elements took advantage of political situation of Pakistan aimed at maligning the country.
He also said that it was on record that UK and US had already warned their citizens from traveling to Lahore and some other cities of Punjab on grounds of security concerns.
He said thorough investigation should be carried out before any final speculation however the influence factors should also be taken into consideration.
It is widely believed that some elements want to add fuel to fire regarding declaring Pakistan as failed state and eyeing for its nuclear disarmament on the pretext in the long. The elements according to analysts are having full cooperation from local anti-Pakistan groups who are involved in many suicide and bomb attacks in Pakistan.
Over an all the attack is suicidal for sports in Pakistan specially cricket which has already suffered badly due to worsening security in the country.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
This action is barbaric,
This action is barbaric, cowardice and beyond the expressions of civilised language! However the people of Sri Lanka and Pakistan must come together to extend solidarity and support for the fight against violence, terrorism and disgusting motives of tarnishing the good friendship that our nations enjoyed for many years! The cowardice criminal Terrorist who had committed this heinous crime and treachery must be brought to justice soon and prove to the world that friendship and bond is respected and continued to far excellence!
Harbi
1. This dastardly attack
1. This dastardly attack reveals the links between the LTTE and the international terror groups in Pakistan like the AlQaeda.
2. Obviously the LTTE's principal aim is to create some kind a backlash in Sri Lanka where the cricketers are held in high esteem by everyone. With the military confrontations coming to an end, the LTTE are desperate and are going to try to precipitate a diversion.
However, the LTTE is finished...it will not succeed. The terror group's attempt to finish off international cricket will hasten the end of the LTTE itself. The comparison by BBC of this terror attack to the Munich Olympics attack on the Israeli team, just about conveys the extent to which the Sports world is appalled and repelled. Everything desperate attack by the LTTE from now on will only ricochet back on itself, and on its support elements among the internationals.
Without any evidence it only
Without any evidence it only glorifies LTTE involvement in the attack. However, I now tend to believe all these human rights activists are also part of the terrorist network. These human right activists never hold terrorists accountable to any HR norm. They are free to do whatever they want to do, but the governments even with a general good standing is hounded by these groups. Eventual winner is the terrorist.
When I read and hear these stories I commend the Bush Administration for taking extra ordinary efforts to keep its citizens safe. The famous one per cent doctrine of Dick Cheney is one of lot of sense. If you find even one percent of a chance that a certain group is going to hit you, you engage them and destroy if you can. This motto is very useful in dealing with this kind of terrorist activities.
I am also proposing an international consensus to blacklist anybody engaged in any type of terrorist activity. What I mean is any one belonging to a group, and any one of the members indulge in a terrorist act, all the members in that group should be black listed. Any government who include any of these members also should be black listed in the international forums, and barred from travelling.
I was reading an article from a Tamil Gentleman, that he will never return to Sri Lanka. His storey is that he had to leave Jaffna due to SLA bombing innocent civilians. Then he got to Colombo, where the members of Army Intelligence harassed him with extortion. Then he had to pay a huge sum to a travel agent to come to the west, where he is running a lucrative business. This is the classic storey most of the Tamil refugees would like to say. They have no names, or documents simply coming with massive story. These stories are well received by Tribunals setup to hear refugee cases. I had been to one of these consultants who were giving an ear to a prospective refugee claimant. After listening to the story he said that will not be accepted by the tribunal, but he has another person who can give him a good story with paper cuttings, and various documents to satisfy the tribunal. He in fact boasted saying at least over 350 people have secured their refugee status by the story this expert is giving.
People seeking admission to the west is one thing. But the stories they say is bizarre. However, those stories are acceptable to various governments in the west because they have a sympathetic ear. Most of the Tamil refugees have abused this sentiment in the west. The stories they say is not true. The first land they visit is Sri Lanka how munch ever they are terrorized by the government forces according to their own statements.
Post new comment