The Pakistani leadership expressed its sincere apologies to the Sri Lankan people for the "very unfortunate incident" in which seven players from the Island nation were injured when masked terrorist attacked the players' convoy in Lahore on Tuesday.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari telephoned President Mahinda Rajapaksa today in Kathmandu to strongly condemn the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers, injuring seven players and killing eight policemen and others.
Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani had also telephoned President Rajapaksa to condemn the attack by gunmen near showpiece Gaddafi Stadium where the player were being taken at 9 am ahead of the third day's play in the second Test against Pakistan.
Both the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan conveyed their sincere apologies to the people and the Government of Sri Lanka for the harm caused to the Sri Lankan players by terrorists in Pakistan, a Sri Lankan foreign ministry said.
"They expressed their profound sympathy and concern for the welfare of the injured cricketers and assured President Rajapaksa that Pakistan is determined to combat terrorism and will work with the international community and Sri Lanka to defeat terrorism," it said in a statement.
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, who has been asked by Rajapaksa to rush to Pakistan, was associated with the President during the telephone discussions, the ministry statement said.
{{/usCountry}}Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, who has been asked by Rajapaksa to rush to Pakistan, was associated with the President during the telephone discussions, the ministry statement said.
{{/usCountry}}