Holders Australia and other key nations could pull out of the Champions Trophy after the International Cricket Council decided to go ahead with the tournament in Pakistan, officials said on Friday.

The Australian and New Zealand players' associations called on their country's governing bodies not to send teams to Pakistan, while England players will be asked if they want to travel.

The ICC said on Thursday that it would appoint a commission to ensure security at the September 11-28 showpiece but it was not enough to quash concerns about the threat of Islamic militant attacks in Pakistan.

"We've gone through this with a fine-tooth comb and we don't think the risk to go to Pakistan is acceptable. I am very hopeful Cricket Australia will make that decision," Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) chief executive Paul Marsh said.

"It would be unfair to put that decision back on the players and it would be inconsistent to put that decision back on players given what's happened in the past."

Marsh said the ACA was "disappointed" with the ICC's decision and was still seeking clarity on the security task force proposed by the sport's global governing body.

Cricket Australia, which makes the final decision on whether to take part in the tournament, was expected to make a statement later Friday.

In New Zealand, cricket players' association president Heath Mills said all of the players that he had spoken to were uncomfortable about travelling to Pakistan. "We're very disappointed by the decision out of the ICC overnight," Mills told Radio New Zealand.

"There's been a strong view that we don't think Pakistan is a safe work place for the players and our position hasn't changed," Mills said. "It's our strong recommendation to the players that they don't travel to Pakistan at this point in time."

Safety concerns

Governing organisation New Zealand Cricket said it was talking to the players' association and its own board about safety concerns.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), meanwhile, said it would consult key figures in the squad to see if they were still willing to make the trip and a decision could come as soon as Friday.

If the players opt not to go, the ECB would have to decide whether to send an under-strength team or pull out of the event entirely.

"Following the decision of the ICC, the ECB will be having further extensive discussions with a number of key stakeholders - including England players and Team England - to determine our decision," an ECB spokesman said.

"Once those discussions are concluded, the ECB will be in a position to make a clear decision."

The Pakistan Cricket Board tried to allay fears over security, saying on Friday that they were more dedicated than ever to staging a safe tournament.

"Yes, we are relieved and more focused now that a decision has finally been made, although we always had confidence in the wisdom of the ICC board," PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi told AFP.

"I hope the task force would allay the fears of all the individuals and, by overseeing our arrangements, keep us well prepared for a successful event," Naghmi said. The eight-member task force, headed by ICC president David Morgan, is likely to visit Pakistan next month.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said late on Thursday that the prospect of pullouts was an "obvious concern", but urged players not to withdraw, saying the ICC would do all in its power to ensure their safety.

"It's not something that I treat lightly, but I think it's something that we can manage," Lorgat told reporters in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo.

But the ACA's Marsh said the ICC's decision was bad for the game.

"If it (the tournament) continues in Pakistan at this volatile time, unfortunately many of the world's best players won't participate, which is not a good outcome for cricket," he said.

Australia postponed a full tour of Pakistan in March-April this year due to the security situation. However, they agreed to reschedule the tour in two visits - one-dayers in 2009 and Tests in 2010.

New Zealand cut short a tour of Pakistan in May 2002 after a bomb blast outside their hotel in the southern city of Karachi killed 19 people, including 14 French naval staff.

Pietersen speak

Meanwhile, England batsman Kevin Pietersen has called on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to decide whether to enter the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan rather than force individual players to decide if they want to take part.

The ECB have held extensive discussions with senior players following the announcement on Thursday that the tournament would go ahead in Pakistan despite ongoing fears over security in the region.

A spate of bombings, the most recent coming in June when a suicide bomber killed 15 people in Islamabad, has led players from England and Australia to consider pulling out.

Pietersen said: "The ECB are coming together on - I think - August 3 or 4, having spoken to (chief executive) David Collier this morning, and he reassured me that the decision will probably be taken out of the players' hands, which is great.

"I really hope the players don't have to take the lead, to be totally honest. But I don't know, we'll see the outcome of that meeting, whatever the decision is. If it's taken out of the players' hands then great. If not, then I'll certainly make a decision."

Pietersen admitted he had sympathy for Nottinghamshire bowler Darren Pattinson, whose surprise call-up for the second Test against South Africa was blamed for England's crushing defeat at Headingley.

"First of all I'm not a selector so I'm not going to stand and talk about the selectors or the selection," Pietersen said. "I know as an Englishman going across to Australia playing club cricket, I did that for a couple of years, and your first week you really feel like an outsider. The first game, you don't feel that you can express yourself.

"It was one of those situations where I totally feel sorry for the lad. He did his best, he is a lovely guy. I just feel sorry for him, that's the way it is."