Security officials say Pak envoy appeared to have been the target of the attack because there was no other VIP in the area at the time.
ISLAMABAD: The diplomatic circles in Islamabad strongly believe that the mine attack on the Pakistani ambassador to Sri Lanka on the Independence Day of the country on August 14 in Colombo was masterminded by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which is perturbed over Islamabad’s recent decision to enter into a defence supplies’ agreement with Colombo.
The Sri Lankan security officials say the ambassador appeared to have been the target of the attack because there was no other VIP in the area at the time. The diplomatic circles in Pakistan say the attack was a clear warning to Pakistan to refrain from arming the Sri Lankan military against the LTTE.
The diplomatic circles informed on the condition of anonymity that during his April 2006 visit to Islamabad and his meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse had expressed his desire to buy a significant amount of air defence equipment from Pakistan, primarily to counter the military might of the LTTE guerrilla fighters back home.
The sources added in a subsequent letter to Pakistani High Commissioner to Colombo in May 2006, Sri Lankan chief of defence staff DWK Sandagiri requested Islamabad to send a technical team to Colombo for a survey of T-55 tanks and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, as the country was in an urgent need of spare parts for its tanks and aircraft.
The Pakistani support was much appreciated given the fact that the Indian government had expressed its inability to enter into a defence cooperation agreement with Colombo in March.
The Sri Lankan government had sought help from the two south Asian nuclear powers following intelligence reports that the Tamil rebels were approaching sympathisers with requests for one-off donations, saying this was the last time donors would be approached as the rebels were preparing for their final strike.
As things stand, both sides in Sri Lanka’s civil war are preparing for what is likely to be a bloody and prolonged resumption of the conflict. In operations now under way, the Sri Lankan army is fighting its way across well-fortified and heavily mined terrain.
However, the fact remains that the Sri Lankan military remains incapable of totally defeating the LTTE, which is a well-organised, well-trained and remarkably resilient fighting force with a high morale and has shown an ability to accept heavy casualties and still continue with the operations.
Approached for comments, the Pakistani foreign office spokesperson said that Islamabad condemns the attack on its ambassador and was eagerly waiting to know who was behind it.
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