otherpakistan.org

Pakistanis from Lahore to Lakki Marwat remain devastated at the evil in Lahore. I thought it best that ordinary Sri Lankans know of our fury at the evil hence I visited leading Sri Lankan newspapers  such as the Daily News and Daily Mirror and blogs such as Island Cricket expressing our disgust. Later I wrote on other Pakistani blogs such as Teeth Maestro, ATP and PK Politics urging other Pakistanis to do likewise.

The Sri Lankan response to my comments has delighted me as I have been inundated with emails from ordinary Sri Lankans expressing their love of Pakistan. I have decided to share the emails as they will delight one and all and prove that Pakistan-Sri Lanka brotherhood is as strong as ever.

The first email is from Nalin Tennekoon.

Dear Mr Wasim Arif

Just read your appreciation in the Daily News. Pakistan people are very special to us. In Sri Lanka we hold them dear & near and regard them as genuine, sincere friends. None of the Lankans are angry with the Pakistan people and we understand terror well as we experience it.

This is S.L. Any Pakistan people are welcome in S.L. Hope to see cricket between Pakistan & S.L. sooner than later. Our sympathies are with the security officers who laid down their precious lives, the driver of the van who laid down his life & other injured Pakistani people in this incident. Also our salutation to the brave driver of the Lankan team bus.

May the Triple Gem & gods bless Pakistan with great fortune.

Warm Regards

Nalin Tennekoon

The second email from D K Kasun Sameera Dissanayake.

Dear Pakistanis,

I am D.K. Kasun Sameera Dissanayake from Dambulla, Sri Lanka. I am 22 years old boy and a student of University of Peradeniya. I accept that it is tragic incident.

I am buddhist and I believe that they are lucky enough to survive. A rocket was fired by terrorists and luckily it had not hit on the bus. We are facing huge difficulties because of terrorism. These incidents are familiar to us. Because we are living among sucide terrorists and bus bombs.

This sad incident won’t harm our friendship and relationship by any means. I am sure that this attack has been well planned by some “people” who don”t like this strong relationship and friendship between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. I am sure that this incident will furher strengthen our relationship. I am 100% sure that all Pakistan loving Sri Lankan people are thinking like this.

I am sure that any cricket team won’t travel Pakistan other than Sri Lanka in future. Our cricket team will come back to Pakistan once this incident is cleared by security officials.

I AM PROUDLY SAYING THAT PAKISTAN IS THE ONLY COUNTRY WHICH SUPPORTS SRI LANKA WITH DESTROYING TERRORISM AND WHEN THE COUNTRY IS IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS.

WE LOVE PAKISTAN…WE LOVE PAKISTANI PEOPLE…WE LOVE PAKISTANI CRICKET.

I WISH HAPPINESS AND PROSPERITY AND FREE OF TERRORISM FOR PAKISTAN.

I AM LOOKING FORWARD FOR A REPLY.THANK YOU VERY MUCH….

The third email is from Najeeb Musthakeen

Greetings from Sri Lanka

Dear Brother Wasim,

My name is Mohamed Najeeb and I am from Sri Lanka. I read your article appearing in our local “Daily News” paper expressing your dismay and grief over the terror attack to our Sri Lankan cricketers at Lahore.

We, Sri Lankans are peace loving people. Sri Lanka is a multi ethnic country where Buddhist are majority followed by tamils and muslims. When other cricketing nations refused to tour Pakistan, we came forward mainly due to the long lasting friendship between the two countries.

Pakistan is really a true friend of Sri Lanka and there is absolutely no doubt about it. I have worked with many Pakistanis when employed in Middle East and they were very helpful. When they know that I was from Sri Lanka, they were very friendly and were very helpful. Its not the same with some Indians, but we Sri Lankans do really love Pakistanis since you people have come to our defence many occasions.

I came to know about this terror attack while working in office consisting of many Buddhists. Believe me, all my Buddhist colleagues were shocked but they NEVER accused or commented any negative remark to the Pakistani govt or to its people. They all spoke well of Pakistan and assistance you people have rendered to us.

We DON’T regret touring Pakistan and Insha Allah hopefully we will be the first country to tour Pakistan once all things get cleared from that end. I hope your President get rid of these elements who tries to paint a bad impression on Pakistan. We love your country and your people and Insha Allah we will visit your country very soon.

I pray to Almighty Allah to protect your lovely country from all dangers and make your people live peacefully and happily without fear or destruction. By the way, my wife and daughter are strong supporters of Pakistani cricket.

By the way we thank the bus driver Mr Mohammad Khalil for saving our cricketers. His timely action saved cricketers lives. My heartfelt condolences for the security personnel who lost their lives protecting the cricketers.

Take care and Khuda Haafiz (Hope I got it correct). Give our best regard to all Pakistani people.

Najeeb

The fourth email is from Chrisanthie Defonseka

Dear Mr. Wasim Arif

I read your sentiments published in the local news paper ” Daily News ” on the 5th March.

As much as we Sri Lankans are deeply shocked and saddened at the attack on our cricketing ambassadors, we also appreciate the apologies and grief so openly expressed by a great majority of our Pakistani friends.

It is true that the security arrangements were woefully lacking, in view of the widespread terrorism which is a curse to our entire region. But we assure you that this attack can never drive a wedge between the mutual friendship and respect we share between our countries.

It should never be construed as the death of cricket in Pakistan. We hope that both our countries can unitedly fight against this deadly enemy which tries to kill not only sports but our economies and our aspirations to live as peace loving people. We send our sympathies to the families of the policemen who sacrificed their lives in protecting the lives of our beloved crickters. A big thank you to the galant driver who drove them to safety.

Pakistan, we like to tell you loud and clear that you have always been a true friend of Sri Lanka, helping her with military power in the fight against terrorism. You came and played cricket with us in 1996, when others did not have the backbone to do so.

I personally have always cheered for pakistan cricket when you played against other countries and will continue to do so, when you come back to the field, sooner than later, because you never back stabbed Sri Lanka by helping terror groups, while pretending to be our friend.

You never did protest marches asking our Government to stop the war against terror. Let us hope that the lost lives and the trauma suffered by our crickters will not be in vain, if this event be an eye opener to all countries who up to now turned a blind eye towards terrorism in Sri Lanka. But of course they will not tolerate it in their own countris !

Pakistan we are not angry, only shocked and sad as you are !

Long live the cricket ties between Sri lanka and Pakistan !

Chrisanthie (a cricket fan and a friend of Pakistan)

The fifth email is from Wiranthie De Zoysa

I’m Wiranthie ,a 26 year old (female) Sri Lankan Citizen residing in colombo,I’d like to thank you on behalf of the citizens of my country for your heartfelt apologies. In my opinion it is not you but your government that should have taken measures to tighten the security for all players and umpires.

Our team members were goodwill ambassadors to pakistan cricket lovers and when everybody else declined invitations to play they remained the Brave Lions that we are always proud of ,whether they win or lose games we know our team gives out 100% and not less and we are always by their side as Cricket Fanatics of Sri Lanka…

We are angry and disappointed with the statement that the Chairman of PCB stated yesterday claiming that full security was provided to the teams if that were the case and if the security was adequate then such an incident wouldnt have occured…

My heartfelt sympathies goes out to all cricket lovers and our very own neighbouring brothers and sisters of Pakistan .,as a cricket fan i totally understand your position do not worry ,we will not let the game of Cricket die in Pakistan ,think of this as a new begining not an end …..

Pakistanis will always remain close to our hearts ….. and Sri Lanka as a nation will help u get through this ordeal…

It would have been devastating if we lost our valuable cricketers Thank God they were saved and our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the the driver of the bus and the Police officers who laid down their lives on behalf of our cricket team….

Not only as cricketers but as human beings our cricketers are exceptional and one of a kind and we adore them immensely ,i know this incident will scar them for a while and i pray that they will recover soon…

As a Sri lankan i want to convey this message to all Pakistani cricket loving citizens that we will 100% support your nation in getting over this ordeal and will do everything in our power to long live the game of cricket in Pakistan….

We as a nation have endured brutal terrorist attacks and we should all work hand in hand as one nation to wipe out terrorism for eternity…

We have always admired your cricket team and will remain fans of them forever ,masters of the game such as Imran Khan, Aaamir Sohail, Saeed Anwar, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis will never be forgotten and once again thank you for supporting us and being a part of the Sri lankan family in the 1996 World Cup.

Long Live Cricket in Pakistan

Thank You

The final email is from Kumar Abeygoonewardena

Dear All,

Thank you for the trouble you took to express your feelings on paper. Much appreciated.

I have no political inclinations. I am a great admirer of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Yunis, Shoib Akthar …so you can guess whether I was a batsman or a bowler!

Please rest assured that this dastardly act of the terrorists will only strengthen our relations further. I only feel sorry that so many of your brave Policemen had to make a supreme sacrifice to save our players. They and the Bus driver, Mohammed Khali, are the true heroes.

Please keep in touch.

Warm regards

Kumar Abeygoonewardena

The messages of support from ordinary Sri Lankans proves if evidence was needed of the common bonds that bind Pakistan and Sri Lanka. My original post was titled Pakistan Stands with Sri Lanka, I believe the emails I have received show our common unity, indeed it can be said that  Sri Lanka stands with Pakistan.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka Zindabad

- WRITTEN UNDER MARTIAL LAW (My thanks to cowards Tariq Pervez. Sabihuddin, Sardar Raza & Co for selling out)

This entry was posted on Friday, March 6th, 2009 @ 6:40 pm on the category Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.