When I first heard the news at BBC, my first reaction was extremely selfish. thank God! Our cricket team had canceled the Pakistan Tour!!!! Our Sachin Tendulkar and team members are safe. But soon my human element took over and I begin to find out the damage. But it was a huge relief that Sri Lankan cricket team is safe after this terror attack by some freedom fighters. But policemen were killed in this “incident.” Who cares for them? they are just numbers who died with their boots on. Sometimes ago it was considered an honor to die with your boots on. Now too many are dying with their boots on. So dying with your boots on have lost its sheen.
Zaheer Abbas at “Times Now” TV channel is saying I am not sure if this is a terrorist attack. Wow! All a commoner like me can say is that thank you for the insight! Thank you for enlightening us. We will always be greatful to you.
At least five members of the Sri Lankan cricket team have been injured in a shooting incident in the Pakistani city of Lahore, a Sri Lankan minister says.
The incident happened when unidentified gunmen fired on a convoy carrying Sri Lankan cricketers.
Pakistani officials said about 12 gunmen were involved and grenades and rocket launchers were recovered from the scene.
At least five policemen have been killed in the attack, police say.
Sri Lanka Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge told the BBC that early reports indicated that the injuries to five players and a coach were minor.
So Sri Lankan Cricket team is safe and we can thank god for that. Now media circus will start about this terror attack on Sri Lankan cricket team. We will have sound bytes about the “incident.” Speculations will be rife whether it was LTTE or some other freedom fighters group who chose to spot Sri Lankan Cricket team so easily for its good deed. So welcome to the media circus and sickular games. The show must go on!
“So welcome to the media circus and sickular games. The show must go on!”
Thank you. Indeed your invitation is too difficult to resist. [:)]
Zaheer Abbas may be right too. I will not be surprised if Pakistan had carried out the operation itself to prove that it is a victim of terrorism itself and that it is helpless and innocent. I must say I am amazed at the precision of the operation: Do not kill any Sri Lankan cricketer, cause panic, kill a few armed guards or policemen, riddle cars with bullets, and walk out smoothly. Too planned out with little resistance. They were firing in open ground as if they had no challenger. Now that is suspicious.
I am stunned to say the least. Many people from this side of the world have visited India and many more plan future visits. Now most are cancelling their plans to visit subcontinent. The subcontinent is generally either looked down upon or sympathised with. Many war victims from Eastern Europe see subcontinent facing similar situations. It is scary especially General Elections are coming up in India. Even though the circumstances make us live in a world of denial, we cannot possibly ingore the fact that our home are in danger and most of us can’t avoid being in the danger.
The sentiment that people in uniform have just become numbers is so relevant. If there is relief that the team is safe, why isnt anybody simultaneously showing concern about the ‘common man’ who was as ‘human’ as anybody else.
Seriously, these news are getting bored and bored everyday.
Hi, Alka-frankly, my first reaction was as selfish as yours-namely,thank God our team cancelled their tour.
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Then, the reality sunk in,watching the drama unfold on TV.Didn’t see the Zaheer A interview and ‘not a terrorist attack’…amazing,huh,what people refuse to believe?
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And, then, I saw one of ‘their’ channels, where the guy being interviewed was saying’ we know which country is responsible..when they had terrorists in their country(referring to Mumbai blasts…’….blah blah…imagine!!
Well said Alka…and the circus did go on didn’t it? although a bit mellow… I think the media did learn a significant lesson from 26/11. Even the newspapers were guarded in their editorials.
Prancer, We are all humans. Me and You. I failed and you… that’s all, I can say. 🙂
Subhanjan, you might be right. We common man might never be able to know the whole truth.
Tanmoy, I am so glad that you are writing constantly. But I have to catch up with your posts. And you are right. we live in denial till the danger is knocking on our own individual doors.
Paradox, it was so scary to watch policemen lying dead on road like garbage.
Praney, where were you? Glad to see you back.
AmitL, if we were “that” competent in carrying out attacks in “their” territory, they would have scared like anything of India! …
Ritu, I share somewhat a love hate relationship with 24-hour news channels. When they chose to play fair they can turn anything into something. But when they act as PR of one political party or another, well…
What a life wasted. No sense at all. Somebody got to stop this to shun any similar incident in the future. We just can’t shrugged this off as if nothing happens. There were lives wasted because of wrong principles…”sigh”. very sad really really sad.