Terrorism on Cricket?

"Although the attack was directed against the Sri Lankan cricket team, in many ways it is against the Pakistani government and the state because, unlike India, Pakistan maintains very cordial relations with Sri Lanka and an attack against Sri Lankan targets is a good way to embarrass both governments".

(Rohan Gunaratna, the international terrorism expert)

South Asia's most popular international sport has always been Cricket. Experts therefore think that it was inevitable that it would be the target of an eventual terror attack. But was it really cricket that was the target of the attack in Lahore on the 3^rd of March 2009. The terror attack on cricket had a simple enough motive: to undermine Pakistan. Thus, the terrorism attack was against, not cricket, but Pakistan.

There is no doubt that the tour of the Sri Lankan cricket team was a goodwill gesture by the Sri Lankan Government to help after a single test match had not been played for the past 14 months and India had refused to play international cricket in Pakistan due to the security concerns following the Mumbai attacks last year. What better strategy to undermine Pakistan than to prove India right by making the much feared imaginary attack a reality.

"Sri Lanka agreed to play in Pakistan to help out an Asian neighbor and fill in the void created by India's pullout" Sa'adi Thawfeeq, sports editor of The Nation newspaper said. But was that void filled or was the opportunity fully utilized to prove that India's pullout had indeed been a sensible move?

It remains to be seen that who might have been responsible for the attack and why, but it is clear enough to see the purpose of this attack.

India already has theories on how LTTE has developed close relationships with several Islamist groups, including many in Pakistan, for mutually beneficial objectives, thus happily linking terrorists in Sri Lanka to Pakistani organizations, creating an even bigger and unbelievable conspiracy theory.

"It is difficult to establish that link without sufficient evidence, but I know that the LTTE link with HUM is very active; they have good relations with members of HUM and have also established a front organization with them in Karachi. So LTTE involvement cannot be ruled out either," said Jayasekara.

As always Pakistan neighbor is trigger happy and ready to add fuel to the fire. Why miss an opportunity to make something worse than it already is.