Sri Lankan Cricket tour to Pakistan to go ahead as scheduled

(December 27, Cololmbo, Sri Lanka Guardian) President Mahinda Rajapaksa discussed the proposed Sri Lankan National Cricket team tour to Pakistan today (26 December 2008) with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollgama. Pursuant to this discussion, the Foreign Minister has recommended that the tour to Pakistan should proceed as scheduled from 20 January to 25 February 2009.

In this regard, Minister Bogollagama contacted the Minister of Sports & Public Recreation, Gamini Lokuge and had sought his views. Minister Lokuge had stated that since the proposed Sri Lankan Cricket tour to Pakistan would be taking place under the aegis of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the tour should be subject to security clearance of the ICC.

The Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan in Colombo, Dr. Fazal–Ur-Rahman Kazi had also spoken to the Foreign Minister last Wednesday (24 December 2008) and discussed this matter. The Minister had conveyed the stand of the Government of Sri Lanka that since Sri Lanka Cricket has already accepted the invitation extended by the Pakistan Cricket Board for the Sri Lankan National Cricket team to tour Pakistan in January 2009, he strongly supported the position that the tour should proceed as agreed. Minister Bogollagama is of the view that sport is an effective means of promoting connectivity between nations and thereby enhancing friendship and mutual goodwill between countries.

Meanwhile, Minister Bogollagama has directed Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Dr. D.D. Ranasinghe to represent Sri Lanka at the Asian Cricket Council Development Committee meeting to be held in Kuala Lumpur. Instructions to this effect have already been conveyed through the Foreign Ministry. - Sri Lanka Guardian