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NEW DELHI: India's cricket board voiced shock on Tuesday at the attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, and highlighted the lack of security in Pakistan that had caused it to cancel a tour by the Indian team. "What has happened is very shocking indeed," said N Srinivasan, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). "We express our heartfelt sympathy for players injured in the attack," he said. "We have been saying that there was a lack of security and safety in Pakistan. But this is not the time to give statements on that. At the moment our concerns are only for the Sri Lankan players," he added. Five Sri Lankan players and the assistant coach were hurt in the gun attack while being driven to the Lahore cricket stadium where they were to play the third day of the second and final Test against Pakistan. India had called off their tour of Pakistan in December in the wake of the deadly attacks in Mumbai, which India blamed on Pakistan-

LAHORE, Pakistan: A Pakistani air force helicopter on Tuesday evacuated the Sri Lankan cricket team from Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium following a deadly ambush, an AFP reporter said. Sixteen members of the team ran towards the military aircraft on the pitch under guard of security officials, said the correspondent. The helicopter then took off. "The helicopter will take them straight to the Lahore airport from where they will fly home," a Pakistan Cricket Board official told PTI. The two injured Sri Lankan players -- Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana who were hit by gunshots -- will be taken to the airport straight from the hospital as they are out of danger. PCB chairman Ejaz Butt and other Board officials were present at the Gaddafi stadium ground from where the helicopter airlifted the players and officials. PTI reported. Sri Lanka has chartered a plane to evacuate the national cricket team from Lahore, sports minister Gamini Lokuge said. "I don't have

Gunmen attacked a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team in the Pakistani city of Lahore on Tuesday, wounding six players, officials said. A senior Pakistani official said the raid bore the hallmarks of the same militants who attacked India's financial capital Mumbai in November. India and the United States blamed the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba for the three-day assault on Mumbai. Following are the major militant groups operating in Pakistan who could be behind the attack. LASHKAR-E-TAIBA : Lashkar-e-Taiba or "army of the pure" is one of the largest Islamic militant groups in South Asia, based in Pakistan and fighting Indian rule in Kashmir. Security analysts say it is a well-funded and highly organized group that sympathises with al Qaeda. A charity linked to the group was headquartered at Muridke town, outside Lahore, and most LeT fighters were drawn from surrounding Punjab province. Pakistan raided the group and shut down the charity after it came under pressure

LAHORE: Indian involvement in the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team cannot be ruled out, Lahore Commissioner Khushro Pervaiz was quoted as saying Tuesday. Pervaiz also said that security officials had successfully protected the Sri Lankan team, Geo TV reported. India was trying to weaken Pakistan, added Gen (retired) Hameed Gul, a former chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He told Geo News that India wanted to declare Pakistan a terrorist state and the firing on the Sri Lankan team was related to that conspiracy. Six escorting security personnel were killed and six Sri Lankan cricketers as well as the assistant coach were injured when the team cavalcade was targeted by heavily armed gunmen close to the Gaddafi Stadium while they were going to play the third day of the second Test against Pakistan. Reacting to the attack, India's foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee said in New Delhi: "The terrorism infrastructure facilities available in Pakistan must be com

LAHORE: Five security men have been killed and two injured when unknown persons attacked Sri Lankan cricket team here on Tuesday.According to sources, unknown attackers riding on motorbikes opened fire on Sri Lankan cricket team bus near Gaddafi Stadium.Intense trade of fire occurred between police and unknown attackers after the attack. Five security men have been killed and two injured who were shifted to hospital. Police have cordoned off the area. Several Sri Lankan players reportedly sustained injuries in the incident. Pakistan team has directed to stay in the hotel whereas Sri Lankan team has been shifted to Gaddafi Stadium.Manager cricket team told Geo News that Pakistan cricket team will go to stadium after getting the security clearance.Meanwhile, Sri Lankan sports minister has confirmed that two Sri Lankan player wounded in the attack whereas government of Punjab said firing incident is aftermath of rivalry between two land grabber groups.

ISLAMABAD: Former chief of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Gen(R) Hameed Gul said India is trying to weaken Pakistan.Commenting on the attack on Sri Lankan team, Gul told Geo News that India wants to declare Pakistan a terrorist state and firing on Sri Lankan team is related to the that conspiracy.

LAHORE: Pakistani security experts on Tuesday defused two car bombs and recovered a stash of weapons after gunmen staged a deadly ambush against the Sri Lankan cricket team, officials said. One bomb was defused at Liberty Square, where the ambush took place, and another at the nearby Firdus car park. "We have defused a bomb in a white Hyundai and after some time we got information about a suspect car in the Firdus car park. We also defused the bomb there," police bomb disposal unit inspector Abdul Ghafoor told foreign news agency. Local sector warden Malik Fayyaz said that grenades, three kilograms of explosives, a pistol and a one-meter detonating cable had been recovered.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse condemned Tuesday's attack against the country's national cricket squad in Pakistan, his office here said."I condemn this cowardly terrorist attack targeting the Sri Lankan cricket team," Rajapakse said in a message sent from Nepal, where he is on an official visit."The Sri Lankan players had gone to Pakistan as ambassadors of goodwill."The president did not say who he believed was behind the attack.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka rushed Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollegama to Pakistan Tuesday after the national cricket team was attacked in Lahore, the president's office said.

LAHORE: Police in Model Town has arrested four suspected persons after attack on Sri Lankan team on Tuesday. Arms have been recovered from two of them. Police also recovered explosive laden jacket and arms from a rickshaw.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore. The President asked the authorities concerned to immediately investigate the incident so that the perpetrators are identified and their motives exposed. He directed that best possible medical treatment be provided to the injured.

LONDON: Pakistan cannot host international cricket unless it dramatically improves security, the head of the sport's world body said after Tuesday's Lahore attacks, questioning notably the 2011 World Cup."In the current situation it clearly is a very dangerous place," David Morgan, president of the International Cricket Council, told media after the deadly attacks on Sri Lanka's cricket team in Lahore.Asked about plans for the World Cup, due to be played in four Indian subcontinent countries, Morgan said: "Things will have to change dramatically in Pakistan in my opinion if any of the games are to be staged there.""I think that international cricket in Pakistan is out of the question until there is a very significant change, a regime change I guess," he added.An ICC spokesman said he assumed Morgan was referring to a call by Pakistani senators this week for the Pakistani cricket board to be sacked.Eight people died when the Sri Lankan cricket t

KARACHI: Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) along with the other two stock exchanges of the country rocked by the Sri Lankan team attack this morning in Lahore went nose-dive, as the investors in great panic sidelined from business and seen glued with the TV channels, which continued pouring horrifying details of the gory incident for hours.Following the terror incident in Lahore today, KSE opened down by 60 points and on one occasion KSE-100 index was seen eroded by 150 points plummeting the index to 5500 points.Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE) being the epicenter of the terror attack felt the similar shock, which saw the index in initial trading shed by over 30 points to peg at 1535 points, while in Islamabad bourse was no exception.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman has strongly condemned the attack on Sri Lankan cricket team and said it is an attempt to spoil the reputation of Pakistan.In an exclusive chat with Geo News, Sherry said president and prime minister have strongly denounced the attack and prime minister has ordered immediate enquiry of the incident and a report would be compiled soon.She said security forces took the control of the area and there is no need to be panic. Foolproof security arrangements were made for the team. Governor Punjab Salman Taseer was also reached the scene soon after the attck.Replying to a question, Sherry said at the moment its difficult to point out anyone and we should wait for the report.

COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan government official said Tuesday it was uncertain who was behind an attack in Pakistan on the island's national cricket team, but said Islamabad has promised the perpetrators will be found. "We are uncertain as to who perpetrated this attack," Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona told foreign news agency."I have heard the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) mentioned on the airwaves. There is considerable speculation, but we will await the outcome of the investigation before we comment," he said. "We are reassured that Pakistan authorities are conducting a probe to arrest the assailants and bring them to justice."

LONDON: Britain condemned the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan Tuesday, saying it was a "grim day for sport" while confirming one Briton was among the injured. "The attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team is shocking and senseless, and today is a grim day for sport," Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Andy Burnham said. The Foreign Office also issued a statement strongly condemning the attack, which took place in Lahore while the side was on its way to a test match.Officials in Sri Lanka said the team's assistant coach, Briton Paul Farbrace, was among seven injured in the attack, which left at least eight people dead."We can confirm that a British national sustained minor injuries but was not hospitalised. We have offered consular assistance," said the Foreign Office.

LAHORE: Gunmen attacked Sri Lanka's cricket team in a gun and grenade assault Tuesday in Lahore that killed eight people including six police personnel and wounded five members of the squad."The plan was apparently to kill the Sri Lankan team but the police came in the way and forced the attackers to run away," Lahore's police chief Habib-ur Rehman said."They appeared to be well-trained terrorists," he told reporters.Rehman said up to 12 gunmen ambushed the team's convoy close to the Gaddafi stadium with rockets, hand grenades and automatic weapons, unleashing a fierce gun battle with security forces. The gunmen fled after the ambush, triggering a giant manhunt.Witnesses said the up market district of Lahore, home to many designer boutiques, was transformed into a battle zone as gunmen hidden behind trees opened fire in a sophisticated, coordinated attack.Police officials said two civilians and six policemen guarding the players were killed in the attack