The Pakistan Cricket Board has offered foreign players insurance worth $US2 million and up to $100,000 tax-free income in a bid to lure them to join the country's new Twenty20 league.
The world professional cricketers' union has warned players against taking part in the two-week long Pakistan Super League, due to start in March, because of the "unmanageable" security risk.
Pakistan is struggling with a homegrown Islamist insurgency and there are bombings and shootings on an almost daily basis.
No international cricket has been played in the country since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus during a test match in Lahore in 2009.
