Cricket's governing body will continue to support Pakistanin its efforts to bring back the international game, but much depends on thesecurity situation.
International cricket has been suspended in Pakistan sinceterrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009, leaving eightpeople dead and seven visiting players wounded.
It led foreign teams to shun tours to Pakistan due tosecurity fears.
David Richardson, chief executive of the InternationalCricket Council (ICC) said Pakistan will continue to be supported.
"The ICC views Pakistan as a very important part ofinternational cricket," Richardson told a media briefing in Lahore.
"It's our role to support Pakistan in its efforts tomake sure that international cricket returns to the country."
But Richardson, a former South African wicket-keeper andbatsman, said it was tough to give any time-frame for the return of the game.
"We want to support the return, whenever that may be...but it’s difficult to say exactly when and I think that's about as far as wecan go at this stage."
He added that any decision by a team to play would depend on"a serious assessment of the risk".
"ICC is not in a position to do (security assessment)when it comes to teams touring and countries make their own decisions," hesaid.
"It will be up to Pakistan in convincing that it issafe to come to the country, and tourists will make up their own minds in thisregard."
Bangladesh has twice refused to tour Pakistan because ofsecurity fears after initially agreeing to play a short limited-over series,with its latest refusal coming last week.
Richardson hailed Pakistan's decision to stage amulti-national Twenty20 league in March this year, a move announced by thePakistan Cricket Board, with 30 foreign players likely to participate.
"The announcement of the Twenty20 competition whereforeign players will be entitled to come is an initiative on the right path,because what you've got to do is regain the confidence of the cricketingworld," said Richardson.
