Lahore attack cannot undermine Pakistan, Sri Lanka ties: Gilani

Lahore attack cannot undermine Pakistan, Sri Lanka ties: Gilani

ISLAMABAD, Mar 4, (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Wednesday said the Lahore terrorist attack cannot undermine deep‑rooted friendly and excellent relations between Pakistan and Sri Lanka and the cricket ties between the two countries will continue uninterrupted.Talking to Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Rohitha Bogollagama here at the PM House, he acknowledged Sri Lankan government’s gesture of having sent its cricket team on a tour of Pakistan at a time when most other countries were avoiding to do so.

He said it reflected the strength of strong historical relations between the two countries and expressed his profound regrets with the members of Sri Lankan cricket team who suffered injuries in the dastardly terrorist attack.

Gilani termed it a conspiracy aimed at isolating Pakistan’s cricket and other sports while casting a shadow on Pakistan‑Sri Lanka relations. The Prime Minister noted that Pakistan and Sri Lanka both have been victims of terrorism and called for concerted efforts for rooting out this menace.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, while condemning the Lahore incident in strongest possible terms, paid glowing tributes to Pakistani Police officials who sacrificed their lives to prevent harm to Sri Lankan cricketers.

Bogollagama said his country had been fighting terrorism for the last 27 years and was now on the verge of eradicating it from its soil. He said that with the cooperation of friendly countries like Pakistan, his government would ensure that the LTTE terrorists’ designs to find sanctuaries abroad were foiled.

He said it was for the first time that Sri Lankan nationals had been attacked on a foreign soil and called for a thorough investigation so that the identity of the perpetrators could be determined and they were brought to justice.

After the meeting the Prime Minister hosted a lunch in the honour of the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, which among others was attended by Defence Minister Ch Ahmad Mukhtar; Minister for Information Ms. Sherry Rahman; DG ISI Lt Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha and Secretary Interior Syed Kamal Shah.