Babar Azam, Shahid Afridi moved to safety after explosion near stadium in Quetta
Quetta (PTI): Top Pakistani cricketers, including captain Babar Azam and Shahid Afridi, among others, were taken to the safety of the dressing room after a terror attack a few miles down the road where they were playing on Sunday.
An exhibition match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Nawab Akbar Bugti Stadium was halted for some time following an explosion in the Police Lines area, which left five people injured.
A senior police officer said that rescue work had been completed at the site and the injured had been taken to hospital.
The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on Sunday. It stated that the security officials were targeted in the blast.
The exhibition match between PSL sides Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi was organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after pressure from Baloch fans that Quetta also get the status of a PSL venue.
"As soon as the explosion happened, as a precautionary measure, the match was stopped and players taken to the dressing room for a while. Later, after the green signal, the match resumed," the police official said.
The ground was packed for the match.
Sports activity in Quetta, the capital of the restive Balochistan province, has come to a standstill for the last several years due to fragile security situation and the constant threat of terror attacks.
It is not clear what was the nature of the explosion.
The TTP has stepped up terror attacks in recent days. Last week, 80 people were killed and scores injured in a suicide attack in the police lines in Peshawar.
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K’taka CM, DK Shivakumar meet Jal Shakti minister, seeks approval for water projects
New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddarmaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar met Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil on Thursday to seek approval for the Mekedatu and Upper Bhadra projects.
In the meeting, Siddarmaiah informed that Karnataka has the second largest dryland area in the country after Rajasthan. The irrigation projects taken up and being implemented in Karnataka have played a vital role in transforming agricultural landscape.
Siddarmaiah urged the Union minister to intervene in the matter and direct officials concerned to provide necessary clearances and approvals for the projects, according to the letter submitted to the Union minister.
The Mekedatu project, proposed near Kanakapura in Ramanagar district, aims to build 66 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) balancing reservoir. The project faces opposition from Tamil Nadu, a low riparian state, which claims it will obstruct the natural flow of Cauvery River water.
The Upper Bhadra project is designed to support irrigation in drought-prone regions of central Karnataka, covering districts like Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Tumakuru and Davangere. The project's progress is hindered by the lack of funding and the delay in declaring it a 'national project'.
Both projects face significant challenges, including funding issues and inter-state disputes.
Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti V Somanna and other senior officials were also present in the meeting.
