Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will assure his Indian counterpart top-level security will be given to India's cricket team to ensure they tour his country, a spokesman said Thursday.
India are scheduled to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match from January 13 to February 19 but the tour has been thrown into doubt amid fears over security in Pakistan.
"The prime minister met Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials on Thursday afternoon and has assured that every step will be taken to ensure that Indian team tours Pakistan as schedule," Zahid Basheer, Gilani's press secretary, told AFP.
"The PM has assured that he will talk to the Indian Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) on this matter," Basheer said, adding that Gilani had been briefed on plans for the high profile Indian tour by newly appointed cricket board chairman Ijaz Butt.
A cricket board spokesman said the premier had assured them that the series would be played in Pakistan.
"The prime minister was gracious enough to give us time and has assured that every step will be taken to save the tour. He has assured that high profile security will be given to the Indian team and in this regard the PM is ready to talk to his counterpart," said a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman.
"The prime minister said that cricket is the most popular sport of Pakistan and asked the PCB to take necessary steps for improving its related facilities while chalking out an effective strategy for hunting new talent in all parts of the country," the spokesman added.
Butt met the Indian high commissioner Satyabrata Pal on Wednesday in Lahore and ensured him of the best possible security for the Indian team, said the spokesman.
Pakistani cricket officials previously said they would consider switching the matches to neutral venues after the Indian government refused to let the national junior hockey team visit Pakistan this month, raising fears in Pakistan the same could apply to the January-February cricket tour.
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