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NEW DELHI (India): Emphasizing that there was no confusion in the government's mind on Indo-Pak cricket series, Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha Wednesday said reviving cricketing ties with Islamabad was a part of confidence building measures to improve people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

The Minister further said he had not seen any note from the Home Ministry on the reported security concerns that had raised doubts over the tour. He also quoted Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani as having said that the Home Ministry's stand on the issue was "clearly misunderstood."

"When we found that it was becoming an issue, the Prime Minister reviewed the situation and decided to go ahead with the tour," External Affairs Minister told the newsmen, according to a media report from Hyderabad.

To a question that the Indo-Pak match has been converted into a diplomatic event rather than a sporting event, Sinha said, "let us play cricket in the true spirit of the game."

Reviving cricketing ties was part of the Confidence Building Measures to improve people to people contacts and the matches should be played in the spirit of sportsmanship, added the Minister. Visa norms would also be relaxed to enable people to visit Pakistan to watch matches.

Earlier, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri had said adequate security would be provided to Indian cricket team during its coming visit to Pakistan. "If security can be provided to Prime Minister of India who, of course, VVIP, then why should the issue of security be raised at all," the Minister told Indian TV Channel Doordarshan.

"So many teams have been visiting Pakistan. Even Indian teams have visited Pakistan when the relations were not good. Even then the security was provided to them," added Kasuri.

In response to a question, the Minister said the coming Indo-Pak cricket series would be a message to the world about peace and stability in the sub-continent and suggested greater sporting contacts between the two countries. On the issue of granting visas to cricket fans from India, Kasuri said, "I am all for liberalization of visa regime for people who will be coming to watch Cricket."

Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Secretary Mr Shashank told the newsmen in Islamabad that the forthcoming tour of the Indian cricket team to Pakistan figured during the talks and Pakistan has assured to give visas to all the Indian fans who buy the tickets, according to a news report received here. Pakistan was keenly looking forward to host the series, he added.