KARACHI, Dec 5 The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has urged India to go ahead with its tour of Pakistan next year, saying that cancelling the series would be disastrous for the game in the sub-continent.

The ACC, which met in Colombo on Thursday, also scrapped the Asian Test Championship, claiming that it was a loss-making exercise.

ACC chief executive Syed Ashraful Haque said the council wants to see India touring Pakistan but admitted that it can't get involved in the issue as it was a matter between the two governments.

“The uncertainty surrounding India's tour to Pakistan is a matter of great concern for ACC,” he told local tv channels. “But the ACC is helpless as matter is not in hands of cricket boards it is to be decided by both the governments. As far as we know, both boards are willing to play the series.”

Ashraful said security situation was same everywhere in the world and political policies should not be allowed to spoil the game. “The India and Pakistan series is awaited by everyone not only in the sub-continent but everyone who likes to watch the game of cricket,” he said.

The ACC is holding its finance and development committee meeting on Friday in which the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ijaz Butt will be elected president.

Although the Pakistan and Indian cricket chiefs are in Colombo for the meeting but Ijaz has said due to prevailing political tensions between the two countries no talks on the Indian team's tour have been scheduled and these would be held in Chennai on Dec 12 when he goes there.

To improve the standard of the game in the sub-continent, the Asian Cricket Council has discussed different development programmes, besides the financial commitments for the coming year, here on Friday.

“Only the PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt and Sri Lanka Cricket Chairman Arjuna Ranatunga were present in the meeting from the Asian Test playing nations,” ACC spokesperson Bandula Warnapura said after the over three-hour long parleys. No representative from India or Bangladesh was scheduled to attend the meeting, he added.

The 22-member regional administrative body for cricket will again meet on Dec 11 in India, during which recommendations of Friday's meeting will be put forward before the members.

The ACC, which is subordinate to the International Cricket Council (ICC), began as the Asian Cricket Conference in 1983 to promote and develop the game in the continent.—Agencies