Australia offers help to Pakistan in Lahore attack probe

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said his government had offered police assistance to Pakistan to help with the investigation into the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team that left eight people dead and six players injured.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on Wednesday said his government had offered police assistance to Pakistan to help with the investigation into the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team that left eight people dead and six players injured.

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While talking to ABC Radio, Smith said he had spoken to Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi late on Tuesday night about the incident, and indicated to Mehmood the Australian Federal Police would be able to assist so far as investigations and forensic matters were concerned.

Eight people were killed and seven members of the cricket squad were injured when gunmen opened fire in the Pakistani city of Lahore on Tuesday. None of the five Australians travelling with the Sri Lankan cricket team was injured.

Smith also expressed condolences for the deaths of the Pakistanis and said Pakistan faces "very serious security challenges".