LAHORE: Pakistan on Thursday marked the second anniversary of a deadly attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team and expressed hope that international cricket will soon return to the country.
Officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) laid floral tributes to the victims of the attack in which armed militants opened fire and threw grenades at the Sri Lankan team bus as it made its way to a match.
Seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach were injured and eight Pakistanis killed during the violence in the eastern city of Lahore.
The militants escaped, the Test was abandoned and the Sri Lankan team flew home as condemnation poured in and the Al-Qaeda-linked menace in Pakistan was again thrown under the spotlight. Pakistan blamed the assault on the Taliban.
The attacks meant the suspension of all international cricket in Pakistan and the country was stripped of its share of 2011 World Cup. It was also forced to play its home series in neutral venues, mainly in the United Arab Emirates.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt said on Thursday the incident attacks had badly affected the country's cricket. "The considerable damage caused to Pakistan cricket because of the attacks will take time and concerted efforts to mitigate," said Butt.
He welcomed an announcement last week from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials that the team may tour Pakistan in October if cleared to do so by the International Cricket Council.
"We are grateful to SLC that despite the events of that day they have once again expressed a willingness to tour Pakistan," said Butt.
"Two years ago precious lives were lost in one of the deadliest attacks on our soil. It was a tragedy that will be forever seared in our collective conscious."
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