Terror hits cricket

The terror attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan has put the ‘epicentre of terrorism’ into great shame and it is unlikely that cricket will be played there for a very, very long time. The attack has also put the 2011 World Cup in great jeopardy and it now looks impossible given the instability prevailing in that country as also the incapacity of the government to tackle terrorism. The attack has completely exposed the security situation there and it amply vindicated India’s decision not to tour the nation in the aftermath of the Mumbai attack. This is the first instance in which cricket has been directly targeted by terrorists, and while it has finally removed the game’s immunity from terror, it has also shattered the hollow claims made by Pakistani administrators and former cricketers, who pulled all stops to show that everything is fair and safe in their country. Political wannabes like Imran Khan, who is a perfect package of bombast and hypocrisy, had been repeatedly saying that terrorists would never target cricketers. Although the Lankan players, six of whom were wounded, escaped with non-serious injuries, the unthinkable could have occurred if the team did not have an element of luck. The likes of Imran probably assume terrorists to be great cricket fans, but now they have no option but to eat up their own words. Pakistan has failed to provide security to even an international cricket team. Worse, its police could not even kill any of the attackers, who escaped easily despite launching the assault in the heart of the country.

The incident reminds us of the 26/11 Mumbai attack and the modus operandi of the terrorists also points to the involvement of Lashker-e-Toiba. Since the Sri Lankan team was at the receiving end, a needle of suspicion also points towards LTTE. A couple of Pakistani ministers, meanwhile, have tried to shift the blame on India citing flimsy ‘evidences’. Such attempts are hardly surprising for a country that is desperate to cover its own helplessness in the face of the rampaging Taliban and its incapability to eliminate the terror infrastructure. It is increasingly becoming evident that Pakistan has failed as a State, as a democracy and as a neighbour other nations can trust. The Pakistani attempt to draw a parallel between the situations in India and Pakistan is based on a false premise. The situations are entirely different, and India has proved that time and again in spite of the terror attacks it has suffered. Tuesday’s incident also showed that India’s decision not to tour Pakistan was not merely a pressure tactic but a farsighted move, something Sri Lanka failed to notice. Sri Lanka dared to visit a place what others feared to tread, and learnt the lesson the hard way. It has called off the tour and that’s what other nations should do as well – suspend sporting ties with the volatile nation until lasting peace returns to Pakistan, though that seems highly unlikely right now. Assam Tribune