Injured Lankan cricketers can resume play in two weeks: doctor

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Amer Malik
THE Sri Lankan cricketers received minor injuries in a narrow escape in Tuesday’s deadly terrorist attack at Liberty Chowk in Lahore, as seven injured players including team’s assistant coach were declared fit to play in a couple of weeks after necessary treatment by highly trained surgeons and medical professionals separately at Services Hospital and Qaddafi Stadium.

“All Sri Lankan cricketers escaped serious injuries that may have jeopardised their playing careers and they will be able to represent their country again in a couple of weeks’ time,” said Prof Dr Faisal Masood, principal of Services Hospital and Prof Dr Arshad Cheema, professor of Surgery from Mayo Hospital, who headed a team of surgeons assigned to provide necessary medical aid to the injured players at Qaddafi Stadium. “None of the Sri Lankan cricketers had any life threatening and disabling wounds,” they told The News.

Earlier, at least 14 injured persons: Sri Lankan players Thilan Samaraweera, 25, with left thigh bullet injury and Tharanga Paranavitana, 22, with chest bullet grazing injury, reserve umpire (4th umpire) Ahsan Raza, 35, with a serious bullet injury in abdomen area, ICC Liaison Officer Abdul Sami Khan, 46, with left shoulder injury, head constable M Nawaz, 40, constables M Kafil, 22, M Iqbal, 23, Irshad, 28, Sub Inspector Dilshad, 35, Punjab police cops Jahangir, 29, Ali Raza, 24, traffic warden Afzal,27, Rescue 1122 official Zahid, 24, and pedestrian Muhammad Riaz, 55, were brought with minor arm, leg, foot or shoulder injuries to the Emergency Ward of the Services Hospital at around 9:00 am within half an hour of the terrorists’ attack. A team of surgeons headed by Prof Dr Javed Raza Gardezi and Prof Dr Sadaqat Ali Khan immediately provided treatment to the injured patients, particularly the two Sri Lankan players, enabling them to be in a stable condition. However, they had to perform a major surgery upon Ahsan Raza with a ruptured liver and stated him to be out of danger. Services Hospital Principal Prof Dr Faisal Masood and Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Javed personally supervised the emergency treatment activities.

Prof Dr Faisal Masood informed that both Sri Lankan players were discharged at around 12:30 pm after recovery from their initial shock and injuries while the remaining 12 injured were shifted to high intensity bay in Unit-II of the Surgery Ward under the supervision of Prof Dr Javed Raza Gardezi. He said that the team of doctors had immediately conducted CT scan, X-rays and other tests and provided necessary surgical treatment to the players who would recover in a couple of weeks allowing them to play again.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Anwaar A Khan supervised the treatment process of the victims of the deadly terrorists’ attack while former Punjab Senior Minister Raja Riaz, former Provincial Minister Dr Tanveer-ul-Islam, Commissioner Khusro Pervaiz, City Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood, DCO Sajjad Ahmad Bhutta, Health EDO Dr Fayyaz Ahmad Ranjha, IG Khawaja Khalid Farooq and others also visited the Services Hospital and inquired after the injured and briefed the media about their condition. Earlier, sources said that the PCB authorities were planning to shift the injured players to CMH Hospital, but later removed them to Services Hospital upon security clearance from the police high-ups.

Besides, following instructions from the Punjab government, a six-member team of surgeons from Mayo Hospital headed by Prof Dr Arshad Cheema and comprising Assistant Professor Dr Salman, Senior Registrar Dr Zahid, Dr Mohsin, Dr Hussain and Dr Ameer Afzal were immediately transported to the Qaddafi Stadium on Rescue 1122 ambulances and they, with the assistance of a couple of doctors including Dr Riaz and Dr Sohail Saleem of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), provided necessary treatment to the injured members of Sri Lankan squad including assistant coach Paul Farbrace and players captain Mahela Jayawardene, Ajantha Mendis, Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Thushara.

Dr Arshad Cheema informed that they, while using medical supplies and medicines available in Rescue 1122 ambulances and those available in the dressing room of Qaddafi Stadium, had provided simple surgical treatment to the injured players as none of them had sustained any serious penetrating injury but only superficial grazing injuries. He said that the players had come out of the initial shock and were in high spirit upon being declared fit to play in a couple of weeks’ time. However, he rejected the rumours that international umpires including Steve Davis and Simon Taufal were injured as both of them remained absolutely safe in the ambush.

Besides, it is also learnt that a couple of officials of Rescue 1122, Usman and Zahid, riding a fire truck and an ambulance respectively in the security squad of the Sri Lankan cricket team, were also injured in the assault and they were shifted to Lahore General Hospital. Out of these two, Usman suffered a bullet injury in his chest and Zahid sustained bullet wound in his shoulder causing a bone fracture. However, both were in a stable condition.

Similarly, three cops of Elite Police Force Sultan, 23, with a heart rupturing bullet injury and Faryad, 26, with ankle joint and thigh injury and Tahir Mahmood, 28, with left foot and shoulder injury were brought to Jinnah Hospital. According to hospital officials, Sultan was received dead with a bullet injury in the left side of his chest, while other two were in a stable condition in private rooms of the hospital.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=165591