Lanka tour to Pakistan is on: Butt

Karachi, Dec 26 (PTI) Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)
chairman Ejaz Butt claims Sri Lanka's tour here next year will
certainly go ahead as the island nation's sports minister
Gamini Lokuge has assured him of the series getting the
requisite government clearance.

"Our High Commissioner has spoken to the sports minister
who has assured him the tour is on but as per government
policies, it has to be cleared by the Sri Lankan foreign
ministry," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt told PTI.

He said Lokuge was assured that the tour, starting
January 20, was definitely on and only the formalities needed
to be completed.

"As is the usual practice the Sri Lankan cricket
authorities have to get security clearance from their foreign
office. The foreign office will in turn will seek assurances
from our government for proper security arrangements to be
made for the series," he said.

Pakistan invited Sri Lanka to play three Tests and five
one-day internationals after India cancelled its confirmed
tour to Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks,
which has put a big strain on relations between the two
countries.

The former President of the Sri Lanka Cricket's interim
committee Arjuna Ranatunga had agreed to replace India but
after he and his committee were sacked last week by the sports
minister, the tour was under a shadow of doubt.

But Butt said Lokuge had assured the Pakistan high
commissioner the tour would not be affected by the change in
the interim committee.

"As far as the security arrangements are concerned we
will be meeting with Sri Lankan officials perhaps even the
sports minister during the ACC meeting in Kuala Lumpur and we
will assure them state level security plans and arrangements
for the tour," Butt said.

He also insisted that India had not called off its tour
to Pakistan because of security concerns.

"It was a political decision and we can't do anything
about it. But the fact is that India and Sri Lanka were both
in Karachi for the Asia Cup earlier this year and they were
satisfied with the arrangements we made for them," he stated.

"All our provincial governments are coordinating with the
board and the centre to assure top class security arrangements
for the tour," he said.

Butt did not agree with media reports that the Sri
Lankans might call off their tour to Pakistan as they didn't
want to upset the Indian government.

"I don't know from where all this is coming from. But our
relations with the Indian board remain good. Our government to
government relations with Sri Lankan are excellent as well.
Unfortunately sections of the Indian media have come up with
stories apparently aimed at portraying a picture that isolates
Pakistan cricket from all other countries." PTI COR
DEP