New York/Colombo  - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern over the increasing number of civilian victims in the fighting between government troops and Tamil separatist rebels in north-eastern Sri Lanka.

"The secretary general is extremely concerned over the deteriorating situation for civilians trapped in northern Sri Lanka," a statement released by Ban's office said Thursday.

Colombo, Mar. 6: A majority of the Sri Lankan cricketers who were caught in the middle of a crossfire between security forces and terrorists in Lahore on Tuesday, have said that had they sat still, they would have died.

Backing British match referee Chris Broad’s claims that Pakistani police officers did not promptly return fire during Tuesday''s attack, Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene said the bus in which they were traveling stood still for about a minute and a half as the attackers fired at will.

As far as Jayawardene could tell, there was no police gunfire at the attackers.

"They were not under pressure …nobody was firing at them," The Scotsman quoted him, as saying.

Colombo - Scores of civilians have been killed by government artillery in north-eastern Sri Lanka, a pro-Tamil rebel website said Thursday, as shelling claimed a Red Cross worker in the war zone.

Seventy-eight civilians, including 21 children and a pregnant woman, died in government fire Wednesday in the government-declared safe zone for civilians, Tamilnet reported, citing casualty figures coming in from affected settlements.

Lahore, Mar. 5: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has held the Punjab Government and security authorities responsible for the Tuesday’s attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team.

According to a source privy to the inner circles of the PCB, the board management had expressed its reservations about holding a Test match at Lahore following the wide scale public protest in the wake of the removal of the Shahbaz Sharif government.

It also had tabled an idea of organizing the match at match at Karachi, the venue of the first Test, or moving it to Faisalabad, but Punjab Governor, Salman Taseer objected to it saying that highest level of security would be provided to cricketers and other officials during the visit.

Hurman Baweja was shooting in New Delhi for Boney Kapoor-Anees Bazmi's It's My Life on Tuesday morning when he heard about the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan.

Friends after having shot with them for Victory , Hurman couldn't shoot until he heard from them.

Finally an sms arrived from test cricketer Farveez Mahroof saying, "We're all well. Don't worry. Thanks for asking."

Patna/Chennai, Mar 5 : Young cricketers here staged demonstration against the attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan.

They in white uniforms raised slogans against the Pakistan Government and burnt an effigy.

"We are agitated over the attack on Lankan cricketers in Pakistan. We believe that cricket or in fact any game should be kept away from fear. But it is not possible in Pakistan. Thus, we wish that all sports activity should stop and all teams should refuse to travel to Pakistan," said Aditya Ranjan.