COLOMBO: Prominent representatives of Sri Lanka’s Muslims have said they hope Prime Minister Imran Khan will take up their concerns in meetings with top government officials when he visits the island country in South Asia later this month.
Muslim groups say they have received dozens of complaints from across Sri Lanka about people from the community being harassed at workplaces, including government offices, hospitals and in public transport, since militants killed over 250 people in churches and hotels across the country in Easter Sunday attacks in 2019.
Muslims make up nearly 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s population of 22 million, which is predominantly Buddhist. The Indian Ocean island was torn for decades by a civil war between separatists from the mostly Hindu Tamil minority and the Sinhala Buddhist-dominated government. The government stamped out the rebellion over 10 years ago.
In recent years, Buddhist hard-liners, led by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) or “Buddhist Power Force”, have stoked hostility against Muslims.
“The community wishes to welcome a great Muslim leader [Khan] who is coming as his country’s prime minister for the first time,” N. M. Ameen, president of the Sri Lanka Muslim Council, told Arab News. “He is in a vantage position to speak on behalf of the Sri Lankan Muslims.”
Khan is slated to arrive in Sri Lanka on February 23 on a two-day visit in which he will hold talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. He will also address the Lankan parliament — only the third Pakistani head of state to do so after former President General Mohammed Ayub Khan in 1953 and Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1973.
Rishath Bathuideen, former minister and leader of the All-Ceylon Makkal Congress, a Muslim political party, met with the charge d’affaires of the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo on Tuesday, and told Arab News: “We have expressed the concerns of the Muslim community, especially regarding the forced cremation policy of the government.”
Sri Lanka’s government has insisted on the cremation of all coronavirus victims, rejecting international pleas and recommendations by its own experts to allow the Muslim minority to bury their dead.
In 2018, Sri Lanka’s government imposed a nationwide state of emergency after angry mobs made up of the majority Sinhalese ethnic group attacked dozens of Muslim businesses and houses and at least one mosque in Kandy. At least one person was killed.
“Prime Minister Khan must use his visit to assist in our struggles for human rights, justice and accountability for all in Sri Lanka,” Shreen Saroor, a women’s rights activist and co-founder of the Women’s Action Network, told Arab News.
Muslims hope Pakistani PM will ‘speak’ for them during Sri Lanka visit
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Muslims hope Pakistani PM will ‘speak’ for them during Sri Lanka visit
- Khan is slated to arrive in Sri Lanka on Feb, 23 on a two-day visit in which he will hold talks with top leaders and address Lankan parliament
- Muslims make up nearly 10% of Sri Lanka’s population of 22 million, in recent years Buddhist hard-liners have stoked hostility against them
PCB sets Feb. 11 as date for player auction for Pakistan Super League 11th edition
- The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 20
- The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced that the player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held on Feb. 11, setting the stage for franchises to begin assembling squads for the country’s premier Twenty20 tournament.
The development came after a workshop regarding PSL player auction at the Qaddafi Stadium, which was presided over by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and PSL CEO Salman Naseer.
The workshop was attended by PSL officials, all eight franchise representatives, members of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad, PCB officials and other capped players.
“The HBL PSL management shared a detailed presentation on the mechanics of the retention and the auction process and consulted with all the participants,” the PCB said.
“It was agreed that the HBL PSL player auction will take place on Wednesday, 11 February.”
The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and maximum of 20 players per franchise. The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size, according to the PCB.
It would be mandatory for the franchises to play minimum of three and maximum of four foreign players in the playing XI. The teams are also required to have minimum of two uncapped Under 23 players in the squad and one in the playing XI.
Players either retained or picked in the auction will be engaged for two-year contracts with their respective franchise teams, the board said, adding that franchise teams will be able to retain a maximum of seven players for the 12th edition of the tournament.
“I’m delighted that a consultative and productive session was held between the franchises, players and management today resulting in informed and strategic decisions which will pave the way for bright future for the HBL PSL,” Naqvi said.
“The Player Auction model is a landmark step for the HBL PSL, offering players better financial opportunities through an increased salary purse and a transparent acquisition process, while making the league more competitive and attractive.”
PSL CEO Naseer said the player auction system modernizes player recruitment by promoting fairness, transparency, and market-driven value, strengthening the PSL’s appeal for both players and franchises.
“Today’s workshop saw all views being taken into consideration and this rich feedback will be reflected in our execution of a successful player auction scheduled next month,” he said.
PSL has become a key pillar of the country’s cricket economy, providing financial stability to the PCB and serving as a talent pipeline for the national team. The 11th edition of the league is set to begin from Mar. 26 while the final is expected to be played on May 3, as per the PCB’s schedule.
