The Indian government on Monday cleared the Board of Control for Cricket in India's proposal for participation in junior tournaments involving Pakistan.

The government also gave the go-ahead to Pakistan's participation in the inaugural Afro-Asian Games scheduled to be held in Hyderabad in October-November.

The go ahead means the BCCI can send a team for the triangular series among the 'Academy' teams of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.

The government has also approved a quadrangular series of one-day matches among the 'Under-19' teams of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Pakistan, an MEA spokesman said.

Another BCCI proposal for a tri-series of one-day matches involving the 'A' teams of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in India has been cleared, he said.

These steps, he said, have been taken in continuation of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's peace initiatives and as part of promoting people to people contact and cultural exchanges.

India severed bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan after the Kargil conflict in 1999. The two countries, however, continued to play in multi-nation tournaments, including the World Cup 2003 in South Africa.

The Pakistan cricket team had played in India in 1999, but India have not undertaken a tour of that country since 1989.