A threat from the Asian Cricket Council directed at New Zealand Cricket appears to have crossed in the mail with news that New Zealand manager Jeff Crowe is to visit Pakistan next week to ascertain security coverage for the proposed tour by New Zealand in April.

The ACC, meeting in Sharjah, yesterday issued a statement that if New Zealand did not fulfil its obligation to tour Pakistan in April, then India would pull out of its end of year tour to New Zealand.

The threat is an attempt by India to have Pakistan's backing as part of its bid to take on the International Cricket Council over the commission looking into the factors behind the abandonment of the third India-South Africa cricket Test last year - a match thrown into chaos after India rejected punishment dished out by ICC match referee Mike Denness.

Last week's meeting of the board of NZC decided to accept the new dates for the tour in April, subject to security concerns being met.

NZC chief executive Martin Snedden said assurances had been received both from the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Pakistan Government that security "would not be compromised."

Snedden said he believed it also made sense to send Crowe to discuss specific security arrangements.

Crowe will leave for Pakistan immediately after the last ODI in the National Bank Series with England at Dunedin. He will return before the first Test in Christchurch a week later.

"Should issues surrounding player safety be satisfactorily resolved the Board is keen for the CLEAR Black Caps to play Pakistan as soon as practical to ensure the credibility of the World Test Championship," Snedden said.

Ever since the abandonment of the tour after the September 11 terrorist atttacks in the United States and in advance of the escalation or retaliation in Afghanistan, Pakistan's neighbour, Snedden has said the obligation for the tour would be made.

However, the threat by India to withdraw from its tour would have severe implications for the state of world cricket.

NZC made their decision to send Crowe last week and only learned of the threat today through the news media. No formal notice has been received.

"We've got a lot of goodwill towards Pakistan," Snedden said.

"We're not getting too excited about this threat, it is an irrelevance in our thinking. We intend to meet our obligations," he said.

© CricInfo