PESHAWAR: Sri Lanka’s former skipper and hard-hitting opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya visited Army Public School here on Friday and expressed solidarity with the students and staff who went through the ordeal of the Dec 16 terrorist attack that left at least 150 people, mostly schoolchildren, dead.

The cricketer laid a floral wreath on the martyrs’ monument. He paid homage to the students and staff members who fell victim to the attack.

Earlier, Jayasuriya went to the corps headquarters Pesh­a­­war and called on Corps Commander Lt Gen Hidayatur Rehman, according to an ISPR press release.

During the meeting, he expressed sympathies and solidarity with the bereaved families.

AFP adds: Jayasuriya ex­pressed optimism that more international cricket matches would be held in Pakistan and said the security situation was improving.

The 46-year-old, who is in Pakistan for the ongoing series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka as an analyst for a sports TV channel, was talking to reporters after his visit to the school.

Jayasuriya, who played 110 Tests and 445 one-day internationals in an illustrious career that ended four years ago, said he believed Pakistan was now a safe place.

“There is nothing to worry (about) here and life is now normal, so I hope Pakis­tan (will) host more international cricket in future.”

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2015

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