COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s cricket board said Wednesday it had received warnings its national team could be the target of a terror attack during an upcoming tour of Pakistan.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s Office had received “reliable information of a possible terrorist threat” against the national squad ahead of the six-match limited overs tour, the board said.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) stopped short of calling off the tour, but said a reassessment of the security situation would be sought from Sri Lankan government authorities.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said it was not aware of any information relating to the safety of the Sri Lankan team, but reiterated its committment to provide security.
“We have seen the SLC statement, but are not privy to any information or intelligence report relating to safety of the SL team,” the PCB said on Twitter.
“The PCB reiterates its commitment to provide complete safety and security to the SL side and in this relation will continue to work with the SLC.”
The Sri Lanka team was the target of an attack during a Test match in Pakistan’s Lahore in March 2009. Six Sri Lankan players were injured when gunmen attacked their bus. Six Pakistan policemen and two civilians were killed.
Ten senior players have already opted out of the tour citing security concerns.
Sri Lanka played one T20 match against Pakistan at Lahore in October 2017.
The latest statement from Sri Lanka Cricket came a short while after the board announced two squads for the three One-Day Internationals and the three T20 matches starting September 27.
Since the 2009 attack, a majority of international teams have refused to tour the South Asian country.
Pakistan assures full security as Sri Lanka warned over terror threat during trip
Pakistan assures full security as Sri Lanka warned over terror threat during trip
- Pakistan Cricket Board says will continue to address Lankan reservations
- Ten senior Sri Lankan players have already opted out of the tour citing security concerns
Kazakh president meets Pakistan PM to discuss bilateral trade, regional connectivity
- Kazakhstan seeks access to Arabian Sea ports as Pakistan pushes role as regional transit hub
- Commerce ministers discuss connectivity challenges as Pakistan-Kazakhstan trade push grows
KARACHI: Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official residence in Islamabad on Wednesday for talks with Pakistan’s top political leadership on bilateral trade, cooperation and regional connectivity, with both sides expected to sign several memoranda of understanding (MoUs).
Tokayev arrived in Pakistan a day earlier on a two-day official visit as landlocked Kazakhstan seeks access to maritime trade routes through Pakistan’s southern ports on the Arabian Sea. Islamabad, meanwhile, has been positioning itself as a regional transit hub, with an emphasis on improving physical connectivity with Central Asian states.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister (FM) Ishaq Dar called on the Kazakh president earlier in the day to welcome him to the country.
“Welcoming him to Pakistan, DPM/FM extended warm greetings from the President, Prime Minister, Government and people of Pakistan,” the foreign office said in a social media post.
It said Dar underscored Pakistan’s appreciation for the growing momentum of high-level political exchanges and reaffirmed a shared commitment to expand bilateral cooperation across political, economic and people-to-people domains, while working together for durable peace, stability and development in the region.
According to the Kazakh government, bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $53.7 million in 2024. Pakistan’s main exports to Kazakhstan include citrus fruits, pharmaceutical products, garments, soap and sports equipment, while imports largely comprise onions and garlic, dried legumes, oats, buckwheat, seeds and fruits.
Pakistan’s foreign office said a day earlier that Tokayev’s visit would offer an important opportunity to explore new avenues for cooperation, with MoUs expected in areas of mutual interest.
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan separately held talks on Wednesday with Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shaqqaliev to review bilateral trade and connectivity.
“The meeting focused extensively on addressing connectivity challenges between Pakistan and Central Asia and identifying practical solutions to unlock the full trade potential between the two countries,” the commerce ministry said.
“Both sides agreed that improved rail, road and multimodal connectivity is fundamental to strengthening Pakistan–Kazakhstan trade and enabling sustainable, long-term economic engagement,” it added.
Shaqqaliev highlighted the strategic importance of major infrastructure projects, particularly rail and road corridors, saying such initiatives could generate trade and investment flows of about $5 billion, create jobs and strengthen regional supply chains.
Khan said Pakistan was keen to enhance direct connectivity with Central Asia through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, while acknowledging regional and geopolitical challenges.
“Improved transit routes would not only benefit Pakistan and Kazakhstan but also open broader opportunities for regional and global trade, including access to African and ASEAN markets through Pakistan’s ports,” he was quoted as saying.
The two sides discussed cooperation in sectors including agriculture and food security, pharmaceuticals, textiles, sports goods, leather, mining, energy and infrastructure development.
Kazakhstan expressed interest in joint ventures in food processing, agriculture value chains and pharmaceuticals, while Pakistan invited Kazakh investment in mining, minerals and agri-based industries under its investment facilitation framework.
Both ministers also stressed the need for structured business-to-business engagement, agreeing that trade promotion bodies should focus on linking firms, sharing market intelligence and facilitating matchmaking without adding regulatory hurdles.
“They reaffirmed their shared commitment to transforming Pakistan–Kazakhstan economic relations from potential to performance, with a strong focus on connectivity, investment-led growth and regional integration,” the commerce ministry said, adding that sustained coordination and private-sector engagement could significantly boost trade and investment in coming years.
