ICC-keeping-an-Eye-on-Pakistan-Security

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The International Cricket Council said Tuesday to our sports news reporters that it will continue to monitor the security situation in Pakistan before the ICC Champions Trophy in September 2009.

"Security would have to be assessed on an ongoing basis anyway as we move towards the ICC Champions Trophy in 2009. We would have done that had India toured Pakistan," ICC spokesman Sami-ul-Hasan told our sports news reporter.

India canceled its planned tour of Pakistan following deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai linked to Pakistan extremists.

Other teams have also refused to tour Pakistan this year due to security concerns. Australia postponed its scheduled tour in March while the ICC Champions Trophy was deferred for a year after five teams — Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand and the West Indies expressed reservations about security.

At October's ICC executive board meeting, Pakistan was retained as the venue for next year's ICC Champions Trophy to be staged between Sept.24-Oct. 5. The event has been reduced to 12 days and is most likely to be staged in one city.

"In case of concerns, it was always agreed the matter could be addressed by the ICC Board as the timing of the event drew closer.The next scheduled ICC Board meeting is due to take place in Perth, Australia on Jan. 31- Feb. 1," ul-Hasan said.

"The event remains in Pakistan unless the ICC Board decides otherwise and so it is premature to speculate on that issue at this stage," he added.

The ICC said it would separately be assessing security arrangements for match officials.