Minister Naqvi revealed that Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, had personally assured Sri Lankan Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon of the team’s absolute security. Our army and paramilitary are fully deployed to protect the Sri Lankan team, he emphasized.
The recent bombing had understandably stirred apprehension among the visiting players, who voiced serious concerns about remaining in Pakistan. These concerns have been carefully addressed, Naqvi assured, adding that the Sri Lankan President had personally reached out to the team, encouraging them to continue their tour.
The proximity of the attack to the team’s accommodations underscores the gravity of the situation, both the cricket stadium and the hotel where the Sri Lankan squad is based lie within 10 kilometers of the blast site. In response, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board confirmed that some players had requested to return home, citing safety fears after the bombing, the first assault on civilians in Islamabad in a decade.
Nevertheless, Pakistan’s authorities offered “foolproof” security guarantees, prompting the board to instruct the team to remain in the country. Players who choose to leave early may undergo a formal review, the board added.
The suicide bombing outside an Islamabad court on Tuesday claimed 12 lives and injured 27, marking one of the capital’s deadliest attacks in recent memory. In a related incident, militants stormed a military-run school in Wana, killing three before security forces intervened. Pakistan has accused Afghan-based militants, alleging Indian complicity, claims which both Kabul and New Delhi have refuted. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the spate of violence as pushing the nation into a “state of war.”
These attacks inevitably revive haunting memories of the 2009 Lahore assault on Sri Lanka’s cricket team, which left six players injured and suspended international cricket in Pakistan for nearly a decade. The resumption of foreign tours, including Sri Lanka’s 2019 visit, reflects substantial improvements in urban security, yet the shadow of past violence lingers.
Currently, Sri Lanka is engaged in a three-match One Day International series in Rawalpindi, followed by a Twenty20 tri-series involving Zimbabwe, a tour now under the vigilant watch of Pakistan’s armed forces.
