No Pakistani can ever forget March 03, 2009, when terrorists belonging to a sectarian outfit, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) attacked the bus carrying Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore. Six members of Sri Lankan cricket team were injured while six policemen and two civilians lost their lives. That was the last day of international cricket in Pakistan; country after country refused to send their cricket teams to Pakistan on security grounds, thanks to the terror message sent out by LeJ and other Taliban affiliated groups. It’s now six years after that unfortunate incident in Lahore and no question Pakistani cricket quality and morale have suffered tremendously during this time but most affected were the Pakistani cricket lovers who were not able to watch live international cricket on their homegrounds.
We are grateful to Zimbabwe for agreeing to send its cricket team to Pakistan, a breakthrough after six long years of isolation. Zimbabwean team will play three One Day and two T20 international matches in Pakistan with the tour starting from May 22. Sorry, when I say Pakistan I mean Lahore as all the matches will be played in Lahore.
One would wonder why such discrimination towards other venues in the country? Why are cricket lovers of other major metropolis such as Karachi, Faisalabad, Hyderabad and Rawalpindi being deprived of watching international crickets on their home grounds? What’s the message for cricket lovers in these cities — Lahore is in Pakistan or Pakistan is in Lahore?
If someone criticises such a step-motherly discrimination by claiming that Zimbabwean team is not visiting Pakistan but Punjab only, how do you refute such a sarcastic comment? What’s the message for the world — only Lahore is a safe place in Pakistan, no other city? LeJ is Punjab based terrorist outfit; why should the rest of the country suffer if Punjab government keeps these outfits next to its heart?
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
Oh come on! After all Lahore is the most advanced city of Pakistan.It have top universities like LUMS,GCU,FCCU,KEMU,UET,BNU,NCA and many others.It have great monuments like Lahore Fort,Badshahi Mosque,Grand Jamia Mosque Bahria Town,Shalamar Gardens,Jehangir’s Tomb,Samadhi of Ranjit Singh,Lahore Museum and many others.It have major Sufi Shrines of Data Darbar,Mian Mir,Shah Jamal,Bibi Pak Daman,Madhu Lal Hussain,Sheikh Abdul Razzaq (Nila Gumbad),as well as many churches and temples all in one city.Lahore contains heritage like historical Pak Tea House and Mohkam Din Bakery.Lahore have historical Anarkali Bazaar,Shah Alam Market,Fortress Stadium,M.M Alam Road,Liberty Market and many others.Lahore have Orange Line Train and Metro Bus.
Is there anything left to proof for Lahore?
Only reason for having these matches in Lahore is the security situation.Only in Lahore it is possible to lodge a whole cricket squad in the National Cricket Academy which is right next to the Qaddafi Stadium so the traveling is not required to reach the stadium.It is safe and risk free as the attack on the Srilankan team happened while traveling from hotel to the stadium.
National Cricket Academy has got the rooms as good as any five star hotel and the practice facilities,gym and pool etc.The stadium in Karachi is in a very bad shape and the only other venue safe and ready to host the matches was Defence stadium Karachi but it is not approved by the ICC so it is not possible to have international matches there.We all know that ICC at this stage wants nothing to do with cricket in Pakistan so what were the options left for PCB.
We should commend the PCB for organising these matches when no Team wants to tour Pakistan although i personally feel we should not be taking such big risks as the security situation is still not so good in Pakistan and one more incident can take the cricket away from Pakistan forever.
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