Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for the Pakistani bus driver whose timely action saved the lives of the Sri Lankan cricket team during the brazen terrorist attack in Lahore.
Gilani said in a statement that the reward would be given to Mehar Mohammad Khalil for displaying "bravery and presence of mind" when the cricket team was attacked yesterday.
Khalil has emerged a hero in Pakistan for keeping a cool head and driving the Sri Lankan players to th safety of the Gaddafi Stadium when the team's bus was attacked by a dozen heavily armed terrorists at Liberty Chowk traffic roundabout.
Sri Lankan cricketers have thanked Khalil for keeping his foot on the gas pedal as bullets ripped into the bus and driving them to safety. Spin maestro Muttiah Muralitharan gifted Khalil his shirt and cap as a thank you gesture.
Khalil told reporters it was only by the grace of god that he and the players survived. "I was turning the bus towards the stadium near the roundabout when I saw a rocket fired at us... It missed us and hit an electric pylon," he said.
"When the firing started, the players shouted 'Go, go' and somehow I kept my cool. I ducked and pressed the accelerator and sped the bus towards the stadium," he said.
Khalil, a driver for the past 22 years, has driven many visiting foreign teams.
Eight persons were killed and over 20 others, including seven Sri Lankan players, were injured in the attack. However, most of the cricketers sustained only minor injuries.
PTI
Gilani said in a statement that the reward would be given to Mehar Mohammad Khalil for displaying "bravery and presence of mind" when the cricket team was attacked yesterday.
Khalil has emerged a hero in Pakistan for keeping a cool head and driving the Sri Lankan players to th safety of the Gaddafi Stadium when the team's bus was attacked by a dozen heavily armed terrorists at Liberty Chowk traffic roundabout.
Sri Lankan cricketers have thanked Khalil for keeping his foot on the gas pedal as bullets ripped into the bus and driving them to safety. Spin maestro Muttiah Muralitharan gifted Khalil his shirt and cap as a thank you gesture.
Khalil told reporters it was only by the grace of god that he and the players survived. "I was turning the bus towards the stadium near the roundabout when I saw a rocket fired at us... It missed us and hit an electric pylon," he said.
"When the firing started, the players shouted 'Go, go' and somehow I kept my cool. I ducked and pressed the accelerator and sped the bus towards the stadium," he said.
Khalil, a driver for the past 22 years, has driven many visiting foreign teams.
Eight persons were killed and over 20 others, including seven Sri Lankan players, were injured in the attack. However, most of the cricketers sustained only minor injuries.
PTI
