ANCL felicitates Lahore hero
Chris Dhambarage
The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited yesterday felicitated and
paid tribute to Meher Mohammed Khalil who was on the wheel in the coach
that drove the Sri lankan cricket team towards safety at the Gadaffi
Stadium in Lahore when it came under terrorist fire on March 3.
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Meher Mohammed Khalil holding the memento which was presented by
the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. Also in the picture
are Khalil’s wife, commentator Pramasara Epasinghe and Suriya
Jamal, Press Counsellor of the Pakistan High Commission. Picture
by Roshan Pitipana |
He was invited to Sri Lanka by Chairman Associated Newspapers of
Ceylon Limited, Senior Journalist Bandula Padmakumara.
This is the first time where a non sporting personality has been
honoured in connection with an event connected with cricket.
The dreadful attack on March 3 resulted in five Sri Lankan
cricketers, including Mahela Jayawardene, the then captain, and Kumar
Sangakkara, receiving minor injuries while Ajantha Mendis, Thilan
Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana were also injured during the
incident which killed six security men and two civilians. Khalil
accompanied by his wife and brother-in-law will be in Sri Lanka until
Sunday during which time they are expected to visit many places of
historic value.
An emotional Khalil thanked the Sri Lanka cricket team for having
toured Pakistan and said that his only wish is to see the Sri Lankan
cricketers play in Lahore in the near future.
Khalil believe that he received the strength and the determination
from God to drive the bus through to the Gadaffi Stadium safely despite
heavy firing from the terrorists.
Khalil said that Sri Lanka have been a close friend of Pakistan and
he did it for the sake of his country. “I did it for Sri Lanka, who were
our guests. By God’s help I did not feel scared at all and never thought
of jumping out of the bus to save myself.”
Khalil also thanked Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited for their
kind generosity and inviting him to experience the Sri Lankan
hospitality which he will always cherish.
Apart from the many cash awards he received earlier in the day,
Khalil and his wife were also presented with a full insurance cover
during his stay in Sri Lanka by courtesy of Asian Alliance Insurance
Company Limited. |
