LAHORE: The 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore was such a devastating incident it ended international cricket in Pakistan, but the trial of the case is stuck in a limbo because of, what officials say, technical reasons.

The case, along with six others, was selected for trial in the military courts by the provincial government and the federal tier had approved the transfer. But, it is still lying with Punjab government for “technical reasons” while the six other cases had been transferred to military court in Lahore for trial.

Terrorists had attacked the Sri Lankan cricketers near Qadhafi Stadium on March 3, 2009, killing seven policemen, including a traffic warden, and injuring some of the guest team’s members.

Read: Pakistan condemns attack on Sri lankan team: FO

There are nine accused in the case and except for three all others, including Malik Ishaq, are on bail. Another main accused, Dr Usman, has already been hanged for his involvement in the 2009 GHQ attack. Those behind the bars include Zubair alias Naik, Abdul Wahab and Adnan Sajjad.

Sources said the anti-terrorism court dealing with the case had stopped its trial after it was assumed to be transferred to military court.

The case was enlisted for the military court but it could not actually be sent there because except for three, all other accused were on bail, they added.

The bails of Malik Ishaq and two others were confirmed by Supreme Court, while the three other accused had obtained bails from the trial court.

The sources said the trial in the military court could start only if all the accused were in jail.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2015

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