Pakistani Bus Driver a Celebrated Hero in Sri Lanka

Mohammed Khalil, the Pakistani bus driver who sped away risking his life with Sri Lankan cricketers on board, as terrorists sprayed bullets before a Cricket match in Lahore, is being honoured in Sri Lanka as a hero. Cricket officials heaped praise on Khalil on Monday and gave him cash rewards for having braved gunfire and driven the team to safety. Moments after the incident, the bus, riddled with 25 bullet holes, careered into the nearby stadium and medics rushed to treat the injured players and staff. Khalil was credited with putting his foot down hard on the accelerator to power the vehicle away from the coordinated attacks at an exposed intersection. Khalil was presented with cash totaling about $20,000 and a leading newspaper group has sponsored a holiday for his family in Sri Lanka. Khalil also gave the cricketers boxes of sweets and henna from Pakistan. Six police officers and a driver were killed and seven members of the Sri Lanka contingent wounded in Lahore on March 3 when more than a dozen heavily armed gunmen ambushed the team convoy en route to a match against Pakistan.