Australian cricket officials have told their Pakistani counterparts that they have received security advice against touring Pakistan because of political unrest and violence, an official said Wednesday.
Australia are due to tour Pakistan for three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match next month but the fate of the series hangs in the balance after several Australian players raised security fears. "We have received a letter from Cricket Australia (CA) and though they reiterated their commitment to supporting Pakistan cricket, they said that security briefings they have received are advising them against touring," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf told AFP.
Ashraf met CA chairman Creagh O'Connor in Dubai earlier this month, a meeting which failed to produce a breakthrough as Australia continue to monitor the situation in Pakistan.
Ashraf said the PCB had advised CA to send their security delegation to Pakistan a week after national elections on February 18. "They (CA) have asked us whether we still want a security delegation sent here and if so when. In response to this, we have told CA that we still firmly believe that the environment for cricket and cricketers is still safe here and they must send their team on February 25," said Ashraf.
Ashraf said terrorism happened in other countries without affecting cricket. "We stress that incidents could happen anywhere in the world. They happened in Sri Lanka, they happened in Glasgow last year when we were there for a one-day and bombs went off in England in 2005 when Australia were there," Ashraf.
"We have to make decisions not just on perceptions, but on ground realities. We are making every effort to ensure the tour goes ahead. It would be a big loss to Pakistan cricket if they didn't tour."
Ashraf said there would be further talks on the tour between the officials of the two boards on the sidelines of an International Cricket Council meeting in Malaysia next week. "Our officials Shafqat Naghmi and Zakir Khan will meet CA chief executive James Sutherland in Kuala Lumpur during the Under-19 World Cup and discuss arrangements for the security delegation with him."
Australia have not toured Pakistan since 1998. They forced Pakistan to play on neutral venues of Sri Lanka and Sharjah in 2002, a year after the 9/11 attacks on the United States sparked security fears in South Asia.
Pakistan have ruled out playing the latest series on neutral venues or relocating it to Australia. PCB have also promised personal bodyguards and sniffer dogs to protect Australian players as part of planned stringent security usually reserved for visiting heads of state. Every Australian player will be provided bodyguards, while roads will be closed to all traffic when the tourists travel to and from the grounds, officials said.