If Australia withdraws, terrorists will win: Lawson

Lahore, Mar 8 (UNI) Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson has said terrorists will be the winners if Cricket Australia (CA) withdraws its scheduled tour.

''It is just the terrorists who are succeeding if this tour does not go ahead,'' Geoff told BBC.

''The effect will be that the cultural interests of Pakistan will be destroyed in the short-term and who knows what will happen in the long-term?'' he said.

Australian players were unwilling to play here and the Australian Cricketers' Association has decided not to send a representative with a pre-tour security delegation.

But the coach, said ''I'm an Australian living in Lahore, and have a far greater knowledge of what goes on day by day.

''We want the tour to go ahead for lots of reason, not just about cricket, for bigger reasons than that. You follow daily the happenings of suicide bombers and I can understand a not too attractive picture being painted.

''But in reality life goes on just as normal, it doesn't affect people like me and it would not affect a cricket tour in any shape or form. Getting that message across is very difficult,'' he added.

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