Bullet on Sri Lankan Team's Bus

Shocking news surrounded us yesterday. Despite the on-going turbulence in country, I don’t think this cricket-loving nation could have imagined a well-planned, highly-armed attack on a guest team. Sri Lankan team decided to come and play in Pakistan, as a friendly gesture, when all other teams refused.

Luckily, the sri lankans escaped life loss apart from few injuries. But five policemen and a bus driver could not succumb to the injuries and died. Reserve Umpire, Ahsan Raza, is still in critical condition.

As usual, government is avoiding to take responsibility of this huge security lapse, at all costs. Rehman Malik’s press conference last night was an evidence.

What I, and almost every concerned Pakistani, refuses to see is how come 12 attackers, armed with Kalashnikov, Grenades and Rocket Launchers, attack a bus for 15-20 minutes and no one comes to cover the scene? If media can reach the scene within minutes; why can’t rangers, commandos or even PAF’s fighter jets could have reached? In broad day-light attackers even achieved the cumbersome task to escape the scene unscathed; still no signs of security forces. Considering the liberty chowk’s plan, it was not a difficult task at all to encircle the attackers in that sphere. If for president or prime minister’s visit, the whole route can be pre-monitored for any unusual activity, wasn’t it the responsibility of the govt. to take such initiatives in this case too? Undoubtedly, the policemen did their job well. But at the cost of 6 precious lives. The ratio of 6:0 tell scores about security forces abilities and that of attackers.

International cricket’s been murdered in Pakistan now, officially. Who’d like to come to this land of pure irresponsibility now? As Teeth Maestro wrote yesterday that I see stadiums turning into plots now …!

May the nation stand united, Amen! The string’s getting tighter day-by-day. Blame game with more hopelessness continues. This is plainly frustrating.

Image Courtesy: Time