Security beefed up for Sri Lanka team following suicide bombing in Islamabad
Rawalpindi (PTI): Security has been beefed up for the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team following terror attacks in Islamabad and Wana with the island nation's High Commissioner also given assurance that the touring players are being treated as "state guests".
The security issue was taken up at a meeting between the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, Admiral (retired) Fred Seneviratne, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and government officials in Islamabad.
Sources said that Naqvi, who is also the Federal Minister for Interior affairs, had earlier also met officials of the Sri Lankan team and assured them of fool-proof security.
"Security has been beefed up with Pakistan Army and the paramilitary rangers now deputed to monitor the visiting players and officials," the source said.
During Wednesday's meeting, the security situation was discussed in the presence of top police officials of Islamabad.
Naqvi assured Siriwiratnay that the visiting team players and officials were state guests in Pakistan. The High Commissioner, after the briefing, expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements.
Pakistan has blamed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for the terror attacks.
On Tuesday, a suicide bomber detonated himself outside a judicial complex in Islamabad killing 12 people and injuring scores, while in Northern Pakistan's Wana area a terror attack on the Wana Cadet College was foiled by security forces and around 300 students were safely evacuated.
Federal Minister for Information, Ata Tarar said if security forces had not acted swiftly, Pakistan could have witnessed a bigger incident like the Peshawar school attack in 2018.
Three years back the New Zealand team cancelled a white-ball series in Rawalpindi and returned home without playing a match after receiving creditable intelligence information about a possible terror attack targeting the visitors.
"That is why Mohsin Naqvi personally went to the stadium and met with the visiting team members and assured them they would be safe and secure," the source said.
In March 2009, TTP terrorists had attacked the Sri Lankan team bus close to the Gaddafi stadium, resulting in the closure of international cricket in Pakistan for nearly 10 years as foreign teams refused to visit the country due to security concerns.
Sri Lanka, after playing three ODIs in Rawalpindi, will then take part in a T20 triangular series also involving Zimbabwe from November 17 to 29.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
