English cricket officials are worried about playing in the southern port city of Karachi on their tour later this year.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan said on Sunday that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had expressed reservations about playing a Test match in Karachi, which has been the target of several bomb attacks.

"They don't want to spend a long time in the city. They feel that while there is no direct threat to their players yet they have concerns over the atmosphere and don't want to be caught in any crossfire," Shaharyar told Reuters.

England are due to tour Pakistan from October 22 to play five one-day internationals and three Tests.

Pakistan has already dropped Peshawar, which is close to the Afghanistan border, from a proposed itinerary sent to the ECB.

Since the September 11 2001

attacks on the United States other touring sides including Australia, West Indies, South Africa and New Zealand have shunned Karachi.

Last year India refused to play a Test match in the city but agreed to play a one-day game which passed off without incident.

Karachi witnessed a suicide bomb attack on a mosque in a busy locality of the city on May 30. It killed two people and led to rioting by angry protesters. Six employees at a fast food store died when the building was set on fire.

Shaharyar said the PCB could consider moving the Test to Faisalabad, Multan, Lahore or Rawalpindi.

"But we definitely want them to play a match in Karachi even if it is an ODI," he added.