Terrorists strike at cricket, 'the only thing binding Pakistanis together'

Twelve masked and heavily-armed gunmen attacked a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team to a stadium in Lahore Tuesday morning. The wife of our Observer in Pakistan was nearby when the bus was showered with gunshots. Police say eight people were killed, including six policemen and two civilians. At least six players of the Sri Lankan team were reportedly injured.

Adnan Ali is a consultant in new technologies in Lahore. He was among the first to report on the attack via Twitter. 

My wife works in a school a few dozen metres away from the stadium, where the attack took place. She called me when she heard the gunshots and I copied her words on Twitter. I was the first, I believe, to report that the terrorists were using not only rifles, but also rockets. The media later confirmed my wife’s account of the events.

I don’t know who organised the attack. In my view this wasn’t the work of the Taliban, who usually carry out suicide attacks and are not so well-organised. All sorts of interpretations have been advanced on Twitter. Some even suggest India might have organised the operation in the hope that international opinion will blame Pakistan. According to this theory, the plan of action used for the Bombay attacks would have been reproduced to give the impression of an attack by Pakistani Islamists.

One thing is sure: the attack has truly shocked the people here. Cricket is a national symbol. It’s the only thing that binds all Pakistanis together. From the Taliban-controlled areas to Karachi, everyone plays cricket and ardently supports the national team, which is itself a collection of players from all regions. By having a go at cricket, they have touched one of the few things that really affect Pakistanis - their last pleasure."

You may send your questions to Adnan Ali on his profile page.