Pakistan arrests six more in SLanka team attack

LAHORE, Pakistan: Pakistani police said Tuesday they had arrested another six alleged plotters over the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team that cost the country its World Cup hosting rights.

Six policemen and two civilians were killed and seven Sri Lankan players injured when militants launched a gun and grenade assault on the team as they travelled to a match in the eastern city on March 3, 2009.

Lahore city police chief Aslam Tareen said the latest arrests were made in different swoops in central Punjab province, but gave no precise dates.

“We have arrested six people, they were actively involved in the attack on the Sri Lankan team. They belonged to the TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan),” Tareen told a news conference on the eve of the hotly-anticipated cricket World Cup semi-final between arch rivals India and Pakistan in Mohali, India.

The arrests followed the interrogation of two other suspects, already held in connection with the attack, he said.

The detainees were presented at the news conference, their faces covered in masks, but did not speak. Police also displayed four assault rifles, one suicide vest and eight hand grenades allegedly seized from the suspects.

“They told interrogators that they belonged to TTP and the plot was hatched in the tribal Waziristan region,” Tareen said.

Their motive was to take the Sri Lankan team hostage, he said.

Up to 12 gunmen were believed to have taken part in the assault on the bus carrying the Sri Lankan players from hotel to the stadium. They all escaped.

Libya: Qadafi must step down

ISLAMABAD:

The US State Department has called on Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qaddafi to step down, saying he had lost legitimacy when he turned guns on his own people.

US State Department spokesman Mark C Toner spoke to journalists in South Asia via an audio link on Friday, saying an unfolding humanitarian crisis in eastern Libya had been averted by quick and decisive action. “We call on Qaddafi to step down,” Toner said, but added that the current Nato-led air strikes were not to bring about a regime change but to protect Libyan civilians.

“UN Security Council Resolution 1973 is not about Qaddafi leaving power. It is about direct humanitarian assistance and relief and protection of civilians who are under attack in eastern Libya,” Toner stressed, but added: “We are going to seek to bring pressure on Qaddafi and we’ve done that already.”

When asked by The Express Tribune if sanctions or ground troops were on the cards, Toner said an arms embargo was already in place and Nato was allowed to board ships and ensure that Qaddafi’s arms supply was also cut down.

“The goal is to completely isolate him until his only choice is a stark one; that he steps down from power and allows a peaceful transition to take place,” Toner said.

Toner said the situation remained fluid in Libya but an emerging opposition in Libya was increasingly more coherent. “We need to understand their needs and their aspirations,” Toner said, adding that it was up to the Libyans to decide.

He repeatedly stressed that the enforcement of a no-fly zone over eastern Libya had averted a humanitarian crisis, especially in the eastern city of Benghazi, where, Toner said, 700,000 civilians had been warned by Qaddafi in an edict that they would receive “no mercy.”

Toner said he was not aware of any confirmed civilian casualties in the air strikes by coalition forces, adding he was aware of the Libyan regime’s claims in this regard.

The State Department spokesman said the US acted in concert with key allies and a transition to a broader coalition with Arab participation was underway, with the UAE sending in 12 planes to enforce the no-fly zone.

“We have a strong coalition. It’s an international effort in which Nato has command and control capability and has taken control,” Toner said, adding that support for UNSC Resolution 1973 came after a plea from the Arab League. “It’s up to each country what role they want to play,” he said.

Afridi accuses Indian media of negative campaign

Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal, Ahmed Shehzad, captain Shahid Afridi and Asad Shafiq (L-R) run during a cricket practice session ahead of their ICC Cricket World Cup semi-final match against India on Wednesday in Mohali March 28, 2011
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KARACHI: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi accused the Indian media on Monday of conducting a negative campaign against his team before Wednesday’s eagerly anticpated World Cup semi-final in Mohali.

“There is so much negativity in the Indian media. There is nothing positive to watch on the channels and we are just sticking together as a team and it is just the hotel and ground for us,” Afridi told the Geo News channel.

“The only answer we can give is with our performance. We will try to give 110 percent in this big match. Everyone knows how big a match this is and the pressures that come with it. But we will just do our best whatever the result. After the match we just want to be content in our hearts we gave our best,” added Afridi.

Afridi also said Pakistan were considering playing their controversial fast bowler, Shoaib Akhtar.

“I also want him to play but we have not taken a final decision as yet. And we have to take into consideration his match fitness and his form which we will see in the nets,” Afridi said.

“We want him in such a high-profile match but we don’t want him for just four or five overs, we want him to bowl his full quota of overs,” he added.

Pakistan has not played Akhtar, who has announced his decision to retire after the World Cup, since they lost to New Zealand in the pool matches.

Afridi played down his remarks about not allowing Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar to score runs in the semi-final.

“The Indian media has treated this negatively. There is never any doubt about Tendulkar’s greatness. But if someone approaches me and asks me about him obviously as Pakistan captain I will not say we will allow him to score runs I will say we will ensure he doesn’t get his 100th international century,” Afridi said.

The Pakistan skipper felt the dew factor would play an important role.

“Yes, there is a lot of dew in the evenings but they are using chemicals to counter it. But it is a factor we will have to take into consideration at the toss,” he said.

He also expressed disappointment at remarks from Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik about the government keeping a close watch on the players in the semi-final because of last year’s spot-fixing scandal.

“I don’t think he should have said such a thing at such a time,” Afridi said.