Islamabad: Pakistan today prepared to welcome the Olympic torch for what its pro-China government hopes will be a festive and trouble-free leg of its world tour.

Protests against China s human rights record have marred the torch's passage through Western cities, and Pakistan has gone to great lengths to avoid any repeat during its short stay en route to Beijing.

Officials, including the sports minister, plan to receive the torch when it arrives at Islamabad airport shortly after midnight on a flight from Oman. Only state media are allowed to cover the event.

Later tomorrow, about 60 Pakistani athletes will take turns to carry it to a ceremony featuring folk music and dancing at the city's biggest sports complex before guests, including President Pervez Musharraf.

But instead of carrying the torch in relay along a three-kilometre route from the white marble Parliament building in Pakistan's capital, as originally planned, the athletes will run only around the grounds of the Jinnah Stadium.

Col Baseer Haider, an army official helping to organise the event, said the change was made because of the "overall security environment" and the risk of bad weather, as a violent hailstorm hit Islamabad today.

The Pakistan Olympic Association has urged broadcasters using state TV coverage of the torch to avoid "negative comments" and make "no mention" of the conflict in Tibet.

Pakistan has strong and long-standing defence and economic links with China. Both are rivals of India. Musharraf is expected to return from a six-day official trip to China in time for the torch ceremony.

Source : PTI