Security concerns threaten Aussie tour to Pak

There have been concerns about the tour since the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and the latest attack, which killed 19 people on Thursday,

has added to the worry.

Australia is closely monitoring the situation and plans to send an inspection team to Pakistan next month before making a decision on whether to tour.

“We are very concerned about the latest bombing,” Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Friday.

Australia test batsman Phil Jaques said the topic had been discussed by some of the players but they were happy to leave the decision up to the authorities.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting had previously said his players held grave concerns about touring while all-rounder Andrew Symonds has already indicated

he would skip the tour if he considered it unsafe.

“It’s up to Cricket Australia and the ACA (Australian Cricketer’s Association) to work through,” Jaques told reporters on Friday.

“I know that it’s been mentioned a few times in the dressing room and obviously we’re keeping a close eye on what’s going on over there and we’ll make a

decision closer to the time.”

Pakistan’s Australian coach Geoff Lawson urged the Australian team to go ahead with the tour.

“I don’t know much about the blast because I am here in Karachi,” he told ABC radio.

“I do feel safe in Pakistan and have expressed that to some of the Australian players and informally to Cricket Australia, but they make their own decisions.

“I sincerely hope that it takes place and it is a good series but it’s still a long way off.”

Australia has not played a Test in Pakistan since 1998 with their three Test tour in 2002 moved to Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates because of security

issues.