By IANS,
Karachi : A parliamentary committee on sports Monday asked Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to file a case against security officials who showed negligence while protecting the Sri Lankan cricket team during a tour in March this year.
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Sports in a meeting at the Parliament House in Islamabad asked the PCB to make sure that the officials who were entrusted with the security of the visiting cricketers are sacked.
Sri Lankan cricketers were ambushed by terrorists while they were on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to play the second Test against Pakistan.
At least six policemen escorting the team bus were killed, along with a driver. Seven Sri Lankan cricketers and an assistant coach were injured.
Pakistan invited Sri Lanka to tour only after India’s cricket team pulled out of a scheduled cricket tour on security grounds, following the Mumbai attacks last November.
Pakistani cricket which was already suffering from serious security concerns received a fatal blow because of the attack. The country has not hosted any international cricket since then.
It was because of such serious problems that the parliamentary committee has decided to take up the issue. The committee which met under the chairmanship of Jamshed Dasti noted that little action was taken against the officials who failed to stop the attack on the visiting cricketers.
The committee said it was the PCB’s responsibility to bring them to task. The board was also given a warning that the committee would contact the Prime Minister if a case is not filed against the irresponsible officials.