The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has admitted that the escalating tensions in Kashmir may force the abandonment of Australia's Test and one-day series in August. "If the situation at the border persists we would not host Australia, but it's still early to say anything," said PCB chairman Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia.

"We are confident that the tension would ease, but if the current crisis prolongs then the PCB would not like to risk the security of our guests," he added.

"(But) the PCB is confident that tension will ease and we still have two months to go, and if the situation is normalised then we are committed to hosting cricket."

Pakistan are scheduled to host Australia and New Zealand for a one-day tri-series in August, before embarking on a three-match Test series with Australia.

Both tours have been thrown into doubt by the mounting fear of war on the subcontinent, and New Zealand abandoned their recent tour after a suicide bomb blast outside their hotel in Karachi killed 14 people, including 11 French nationals.

The United States and Britain have recalled all non-essential diplomatic staff in Pakistan, and cautioned their citizens living and working here to observe stringent safety measures.

The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) has raised concerns over the two upcoming tours to Pakistan and hinted at an alternative proposal to play at neutral venues like Sharjah or Morocco.

Two weeks ago, a handful of Australia's Test side, including Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, said they would refuse to tour Pakistan even if the ACB decided it was safe to go. Warne said the ACB had made the right decisions in the past in cancelling the recent tour of Zimbabwe and forfeiting a 1996 World Cup match in Colombo because of Sri Lanka's civil war against the Tamil Tigers.

ACB chief executive James Sutherland has said they would closely monitor the situation in Pakistan, but he could not be contacted for further comment.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd