Pakistan 'safe' for Aussie tour

Pakistan's Australian coach Geoff Lawson says the terrorists will be the victors if Cricket Australia withdraws from its scheduled tour of the country.

He told BBC Test Match Special: "It is just the terrorists who are succeeding if this tour does not go ahead.

"The effect will be that the cultural interests of Pakistan will be destroyed in the short-term and who knows what will happen in the long-term?"

CA is investigating security issues in Pakistan before making a decision.

But with the tour due to start later in March, a final announcement was due before the end of the week.

Doubts about its viability had been raised due to the region's unstable political situation since former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated last December.

But Lawson said: "I'm an Australian living in Lahore, and have a far greater knowledge of what goes on day by day.

"We want the tour to go ahead for lots of reason, not just about cricket, for bigger reasons than that.

"You follow daily the happenings of suicide bombers and I can understand a not too attractive picture being painted.

"But in reality life goes on just as normal, it doesn't affect people like me and it would not affect a cricket tour in any shape or form.

"Getting that message across is very difficult."

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