By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday assured Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohita Bogollagama that the perpetrators of the assault on his country’s cricket team would be punished for their crimes.
Bogollagama arrived in Islamabad to discuss Tuesday’s brazen attack in the eastern city of Lahore where more than a dozen gunmen ambushed the Sri Lankan team’s convoy, killing six Pakistani policemen and wounding seven visiting sportsmen and their coach.
“Progress has been made in the investigation and the perpetrators will be exposed and brought to justice,” Zardari was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the President’s Office.
The top Sri Lankan diplomat said he appreciated Pakistan’s response to the attack and underscored the close relations between the two countries “which are vital for peace, stability and progress in the region,” according to the statement.
Zardari also welcomed the assertion that the Lahore attack would not dent bilateral ties. He called for a joint mechanism with Sri Lanka for promotion of peace and development.
Bogollagama was also scheduled to hold separate meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.