Speaking exclusively to PakPassion.Net, Wasim Bari relives the cowardly attack that took place in Lahore on Tuesday. Ex-Chief of Selectors Bari is currently the PCB's HR Director and is based opposite the Gadaffi stadium at the NCA.

Bari said that the sound of gunfire brought him rushing out of his room but before he could work out what was going on it was already being covered on the television. He then received a call informing him that people were hurt and that ambulances would be required, so he rushed over to the Gadaffi stadium to see how he could help. On his arrival he saw that the Sri lankan team were there and that some of them had sustained injuries, he stayed with them till they were airlifted out by helicopter.

"I've never cried on a cricket field before but watching the Sri Lankans being evacuated in that way brought tears to my eyes" said Bari.

Bari also said that the events in Lahore were a huge tragedy which has upset everyone involved with Pakistan cricket and that they wont ever be forgotten. He said the Sri Lankan team, it's players and its fans deserved a lot better because they were playing this series in in order to show solidarity with Pakistan.

When quizzed about the possibility of international cricket returning to Pakistan, Bari said that he'd taken great comfort in the strong words of Ranjit Fernando, Roshan Mahanama and others involved with Sri Lankan cricket. Bari said whilst the Sri Lankans had rightly questioned the level of security and had condemned the attacks, they had also made it clear that ordinary Pakistanis shouldnt suffer as a result of these events. The Sri Lankans said they didnt regret going ahead with the tour and promised that they would be back, Bari commented that the Sri Lankans had proven themselves to be friends of Pakistan.

When talking about the police officers who gave their lives to protect their high profile charges, Bari said they were true heroes and did whatever they could to protect and defend those in the team bus. When discussing the commando who took a bullet for Chris Broad, Bari said "that guy saved Broad's life, he jumped over him and saved him."

Bari added that he fully supported the PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt and that the board was united in their distaste for Broad's comments. Bari compared Broad's reaction to the events with those of the Sri Lankan players who were injured during the attack and felt that Broad could learn a lot from studying the way that the Sri Lankans had handled this tragedy.

Bari went on to say "We should take a leaf out of Mahanama's book, we're all in this together. Let us wait and see what the two enquiries (one judicial and one into security) into these attacks reveal and then we can move forward from there. Blindly pointing fingers at this stage will achieve nothing."

Once the enquiries are concluded Bari hopes that the findings can be used to strengthen and improve the way security is handled in the future. He feels that there needs to be an improvement in the general environment in Pakistan and revised security procedures have to be in place before international cricket returns to Pakistan. But overall Bari takes a lot of strength from the wonderful way this has been handled by the Sri lankans and their promise that they would return to play cricket in Pakistan.