Sri Lankan gov't condemns attack on cricketers

COlOMBO, March 3 -- The Sri Lankan government condemned the attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore of Pakistan on Tuesday, in which six team members were injured and five Pakistani policemen killed, the Foreign Ministry officials said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said "the government of Sri Lanka vehemently condemns the brutal terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore today."

The statement said Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama who is accompanying President Mahinda Rajapakse on a state visit to Nepal, is rushing to Pakistan immediately.

The government "expressing its deep concern for the safety and wellbeing of the National Cricket team, conveys its profound condolences to the families of the security personnel who were killed in this terrorist outrage," the statement said.

The Sri Lankan cricket team was being driven to the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore for the third day of its last Test match with the Pakistani national team when a number of heavily armed gunmen opened fire at the bus carrying the cricketers and the escort vehicle.

Six members of the team were injured and five Pakistani policemen were killed in the incident.

Government officials said the cricket team would be returned to Sri Lanka around on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

Most foreign teams have declined to tour Pakistan citing security threats from Islamic militants.

The Sri Lankan national cricket team is a major cricketing team in the world. The team won the 1996 Cricket World Cup by beating Australia in the finals.