NEW DELHI, Feb 12 (Agencies) : Amidst reports of uncertainty over India's cricket tour to Pakistan, a top BCCI official has asserted that the tour was "still on" and that the BCCI had "not heard anything on this matter from the Home Ministry".
"The BCCI team to review the security arrangements for the Indian team is still in Pakistan and is yet to table its report.
"Unless they give an adverse report, the tour is on," Senior BCCI member and Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Shukla told Sify.com.
A report from Islamabad quoted the BCCI team as giving a thumbs-up to the security arrangements in Pakistan.
They have rated the security arrangements as "satisfactory".
Incidentally, the BCCI team also includes a senior police official deputed by the Home Ministry BCCI officials also brushed off suggestion that the tour might be postponed till after May - after the general elections, that is.
"Do you think cricketers can play in May, in temperatures ranging around 45 degree centigrade," a top official questioned.
"Anybody who suggests this does not know anything about cricket," he added.
Asked if the BCCI had heard from the Union Home Ministry on the Indian tour to Paksitan, he said, "we have not heard at all form the Home Ministry in this matter.
Neither for it or against it".
On Wednesday, the media had gonr to town saying the Union Home Ministry, headed by the Deputy Prime minister L K Advani, was not in favour of the tour for two reasons.
Firstly, the security environment in Pakistan was not conducive.
And second, the Indian team, with security fears hanging over them, would not be in able to give their best against arch-rival Pakistan.
This would consequently dilute the 'feel good factor' that is one of the prime USPs of the NDA alliances campaign for the forthcoming polls in April, it was speculated.
There has also been suggestions that the tour be curtailed to just three Tests, which can be held in the 'main venues' in Pakistan.
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