ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The visiting Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has assured that the Sri Lankan cricket team will soon visit Pakistan.
The assurance was given by the Sri Lankan president when he called on his Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain in Islamabad on Tuesday.
During the meeting
, Mamnoon Hussain condemned the tragic attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in 2009, and expressed hope that the Sri Lankan cricket team will tour Pakistan and assured that maximum security will be provided.
Last time the Sri Lankan cricket team visited Pakistan was in early 2009. On March 3, 2009 when a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers was on its way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, it came under an attack by 12 gunmen near Liberty Square.
In the attack, six members of the Sri Lanka cricket team were injured while six Pakistani policemen and two civilians were killed.
Subsequently, the Sri Lankan team were taken to the stadium and airlifted from the pitch via Pakistan Air Force helicopters, and immediate arrangements were made for the Sri Lankan team to return to Colombo on the next available flight.
Since then, Pakistani fans have not witnessed any international cricket action in the country, and Pakistan have been compelled to play all their home series at neutral venues, mostly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
