Lahore hero Khalil here first week of April

Felicitation at Sri Lanka High Commission, Islamabad:

Walter JAYAWARDHANA

Mehar Mohamed Khalil, the Pakistani driver who drove the Sri Lanka’s precious cricket team to safety during the Lahore 3/3 terror will be travelling to Sri Lanka during the first week of April for a week holiday with his family on an invitation extended by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Pakistan Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody said in Islamabad that he wanted to congratulate Mehar Mohamed Khalil for having, first of all, the courage by saving himself from a shower of bullets from terrorists and then having the presence of mind to drive the cricketers to safety.

Addressing Sri Lanka’s new envoy Weerakkody in Urdu, through an interpreter Khalil , acclaimed as the new hero of Pakistan, replied, I received all this courage from Almighty Allah and my mother. I am so honoured for having saved the Sri Lankan cricket team, the world so fondly loves.

The two men met at a function organised by the Sri Lanka High Commission to hand over travel documents and an invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

Weerakkody told this correspondent that Khalil during his holiday will visit places of tourist interest, attend the banquet hosted by the cricketers and meet the President ,Prime Minister and the Sports Minister of the country to accept their tokent of gratitude.

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Islamabad organised the function for Khalil , who visited the mission with a friend. When Khalil arrived at the High Commission the first question he asked was how was cricketer Samaraweera who was ailing with injuries of the attack. He was delighted to learn that he had already left the hospital.

High Commissioner Jayalath Weerakkody even before he presented his credentials, had to be active in the crisis. Since the cricket match was handled by the Provincial Punjab Government, and the Central Government being out of it, the provincial officials were too numb with shock not knowing what to do, it was Weerakkody, who used his old Air Force contacts, and with the permission of President Rajapaksa who was in Kathmandu, got the cricketers transported to the officers quarters of the Air Force Headquarters using a Air Force helicopter. Within three hours he flew from Islamabad to Lahore using a Pakistani Air Force plane to operate from Lahore.

He said, the Air Force Headquarters is a hop step and a jump from the airport from where the cricketers were transported by a special aircraft sent by President Rajapaksa. For security reasons he wanted them to avoid travelling by road.

He said the Pakistani Air Force did an excellent job in helping to send the cricketers home as soon as possible.