Pakistan Cricket board (PCB) chief executive Majid Khan said the tour scheduled to begin on January 21 would go ahead despite Shiv Sena activists damaging the pitch in New Delhi at the venue of the first test starting on January 28.

He told PTI on phone from Lahore "this is basically an Indian problem and Indian authorities have to deal with it." Majid Khan said PCB was keeping a close watch on the developments and will be sending a special representative to India within a few days to make an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

He said the PCB representative apart from meeting the Indian cricket officials will also discuss the matter with the Pakistan High Commission authorities in New Delhi.

The PCB chief executive hoped theIndian government and Indian cricket board will take all necessary steps for the smooth conduct of the matches during the series.

Captain designate Wasim Akram also stressed that the `tour must go on'. "Its very sad to hear that some people are bent upon mixing sports and politics. Its very sad that they have showed their anger on a pitch whereas it should have been left to play only," Wasim Akram told AFP.

"We are going there to better the relations between the two countries and hope the Indian government will not allow a handful of people to deprive cricket lovers of some action and tension packed cricket."