England cricket team landed in Karachi on Thursday on their first tour of Pakistan in 17 years, reports BSS.

They last played in Pakistan in 2005 and were due to visit last year until cancelling the tour at short notice after New Zealand also cancelled a tour citing security concerns.

Following a deadly 2009 attack by Islamist militants on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, Pakistan were forced to play international matches at neutral venues such as the UAE, where they hosted England for series in 2012 and 2015.

Over the past five years, international cricket has gradually returned to Pakistan and earlier this year Australia toured successfully for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century.

The PCB said that the Australia series had "demonstrated our event planning and operational skills" and expressed confidence that the England games will also pass off safely.

On match days, roads between the England team hotel and Karachi's National stadium will be sealed off and under armed guard.

A helicopter will monitor their journey and shops and offices overlooking the stadium will be ordered to shut.

The tour comes as Pakistan grapples with catastrophic flooding that has left nearly a third of the country under water and affected at least 33 million people. 

England will return in December to play three five-day Test matches.

Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque