ISLAMABAD, March 25: Pakistan shared with Sri Lanka on Wednesday findings of preliminary investigations into the attack on its cricket team in Lahore earlier this month.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik handed over the report to Sri Lankan High Commissioner Jayalath Weerakkody during a meeting at the interior ministry.

Sources told Dawn that preliminary investigations indicated total security lapse and involvement of foreign hand.

“The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere in which latest position of investigations came under discussion,” a spokesman for the ministry said.

He said the high commissioner praised the law-enforcement personnel who sacrificed their lives to protect the cricket team. He expressed the hope that the two teams would play cricket in Pakistan and Sri Lanka soon.

The investigation report said the police force deployed for security of the cricket team was inadequate. It said police did not reach the site on time to provide back-up support to the police party which continued to combat the terrorists for about half an hour.

The report revealed that the attack had been planned in and financed by some foreign country and were carried out by militants of South Waziristan.

It said police had so far failed to arrest even a single attacker despite having detained five suspects who had allegedly helped the terrorists in carrying out the attack.

It said a white car believed to have been used in the attack and impounded by police had been bought by the terrorists in Sialkot and brought to Lahore.

According to the report, the attackers were members of a highly trained group who could launch more such attacks in future.

The Punjab government has admitted that it has failed to arrest any of the attackers.
Tags: