In response to heightened security concerns following a recent suicide bombing in Islamabad, Pakistan has mobilized its army and paramilitary forces to safeguard the Sri Lankan cricket team during their ongoing tour. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced the deployment during a live televised parliamentary session on Thursday, emphasizing the government’s commitment to the team’s safety. Army Chief Asim Munir had previously assured Sri Lankan Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon of comprehensive protection measures. The Sri Lankan players, initially expressing apprehension about staying in Pakistan after the attack, were reassured following a personal intervention by Sri Lanka’s president, who encouraged them to continue their tour. The cricket stadium and the team’s hotel are located within 10 kilometers of the bombing site, raising concerns about proximity to potential threats. The Sri Lanka Cricket Board confirmed that several players had requested to return home but were instructed to remain after receiving assurances of ‘foolproof’ security from Pakistani authorities. Players opting to leave early would face a formal review of their actions. The suicide bombing outside an Islamabad court on Tuesday, which killed 12 and injured 27, marked one of the capital’s deadliest attacks in years. Concurrently, militants stormed a military-run school in Wana, resulting in three fatalities before security forces neutralized the assailants. Pakistan has accused militants based in Afghanistan, with alleged Indian support, for the attacks—claims denied by both Kabul and New Delhi. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared the country to be in a ‘state of war.’ The incidents have reignited memories of the 2009 Lahore attack on Sri Lanka’s cricket team, which halted international cricket in Pakistan for nearly a decade. Security improvements in recent years have since allowed international teams to return, with Sri Lanka’s 2019 tour marking the resumption of Test cricket in Pakistan. The current tour includes a three-match one-day series in Rawalpindi, followed by a Twenty20 tri-series involving Zimbabwe.