Pakistan prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Thursday that security will be stepped up to persuade India to go ahead with its scheduled tour of Pakistan in January.

"The game of cricket is loved by the people of both India and Pakistan and the government (of Pakistan) will ensure proper security arrangements for organizing the forthcoming Pak-India cricket series," Gilani said in a statement.

The prime minister met with the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt, and promised to personally ask the Indian prime minister to allow the Indian team to visit Pakistan.

India is scheduled to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international against Pakistan during the tour.

However the tour was put in doubt earlier this month when the Indian government cited security concerns in preventing its hockey team visiting its neighbour.

"This (cricket tour) is a very high profile tour and Indian government would be provided assurance regarding their security concerns," Gilani said.

Security worries meant Pakistan did not play a Test match at home this year. Australia postponed its tour in March, then in September the Champions Trophy one-day tournament was also postponed. A one-day series against the West Indies earlier this month was played in neutral Abu Dhabi.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India said the status of the Pakistan tour was contingent on government security assessments.

"The tour will be finalized only when we get the clearance from the government. Nothing can be confirmed before that," BCCI president Shashank Manohar said.