[1]The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday gave the green signal to Pakistan cricket team’s tour of India for a limited-over series beginning on December 25 and said that the government would provide foolproof security to the visiting team.
The home ministry’s nod came after a delegation of Board of Control for Cricket in India met Union home secretary R.K. Singh on Tuesday.
The MHA’s clearance will now be followed by tight security arrangements being put in place for the series and visa clearances for visiting top dignitaries and other Pakistani spectators. Besides overseeing security related issues, the home ministry also gives visa clearance to visiting Pakistani spectators. After meeting the home secretary, BCCI vice-president and Union minister Rajiv Shukla said that the board delegation discussed security and logistical issues with the home secretary.
“We have discussed all security aspects. The tour is on,” he told reporters.
The series will comprise three ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals between December 2012 and January 2013. The ODI matches are likely to be played in Chennai, Kolkata and New Delhi and the Twenty20 games in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.
In July, the BCCI had decided to resume cricketing ties with Pakistan by inviting the neighbouring country for a short series over the new year period, slotted between the Test and ODI legs of the England team’s tour of India.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/s3jpg-134