Gilani is proud of Pak cricketers

ISLAMABAD, Jun 25: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said the 160 million Pakistanis are proud of cricket team for winning the 20-Twenty cricket world cup. Speaking in the National Assembly, after the national heroes were given a rousing welcome by the members when they arrived in the visitors gallery, the Prime Minister said earlier there was a fear that cricket in Pakistan was going to die after the unfortunate incident with Lankan players in Lahore.

“The way they played have made everyone of us proud and I congratulate them,” he added.

“Younus Khan’s captaincy, Afridi’s sixes, Kamran Akmal’s batting and Umar Gul’s bowling - I watched it all intently. And the prayers of the whole nation were with cricket team.”

The Prime Minister lamented that Indian cricket team made security an excuse and refused to visit Pakistan, but said it was Sri Lankan cricketers who defied these fears and came to play in Pakistan.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistanis are a hospitable nation but, added that what happened to Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore was a matter of shame for the whole nation.

“It was done by those who want to destabilize Pakistan and do not want this country to prosper.”

He also congratulated the coach and the team management for bringing laurels to the country.

In a lighter vein the Prime Minister said that he always wanted to become a cricketer but unfortunately was dropped from his school team when he played a prank on one of his class mates.

He said Pakistan as a nation could not give the cricketers a hero’s welcome back home but added that today in the house, representatives of 160 million people are giving them a welcome and it was like the whole nation welcoming them home.

The Prime Minister said he would ask the interior minister to make tight security arrangements for the ICC world cup 2011.

The Prime Minister said the way the cricketers have won the 20Twenty world cup, similarly Pakistan army will won the war against terrorists in Swat and Malakand. He said once again these areas will become a hub of tourism and the government will further improve infrastructure there.

Prime Minister Gilani also congratulated the house for unanimously passing the federal budget for 2009-10. He said he has been a member of the house for 17 years but such unanimity has been unprecedented.

This, he added, goes on to prove the maturity of political leadership which is unanimous on to take the nation out of difficult circumstances.

He also announced honourarium equivalent to one month salary for all the departments including banks, railways, CDA and PIA which worked throughout the budget session. (APP)