Attack on Sri Lankan cricket team casts shadow on Pakistan´s security situation

Source: Xinhua | 03-04-2009 07:49

By Rao Bo

ISLAMABAD, March 3 (Xinhua) -- At least seven persons including five policemen were killed and 19 others including seven Sri Lankan cricket players were injured in a terrorist attack in Pakistan on Tuesday.

Photo taken on Mar. 3, 2009 shows a window of a bus hit by bullets in Lahore, Pakistan. At least seven persons including five policemen were killed and 19 others  including seven Sri Lankan cricket players were injured in a terrorist attack in Pakistan on Tuesday.  (Xinhua Photo)

Speaking to reporters here at the Parliament House, the Minister of State for Interior Tasnim Ahmed Qureshi said enough security measures had been taken to safeguard the Sri Lankan team.

However, the policemen and the players were still attacked despite "foolproof security measures", shedding light on the poor security situation and casting shadow on the future of peace in the country despite a peace accord with militants in the northwest.

The Test Series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan were called off after the terrorist attack and analysts feared that no international event was likely to be held in Pakistan in the near future.

Tasnim Ahmed Qureshi said the attack was the activity of anti-state element aimed at destabilizing the peace process in the country.

By coincidence, two security men were killed and one injured in an ambush in Pakistan's restive Swat valley on Tuesday despite a peace accord with militants in the area.

The government termed the incident a violation of the peace accord because militants opened unprovoked fire at the security men.

At the same time, Sufi Muhammad, founding chief of a banned group Tehrik-e-Nifaz Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) set a deadline of March 15 to the government to set up Islamic courts and to release Taliban prisoners as per the agreement between TNSM and North West Frontier Province.