The 50-over tournament will be the first major global cricket event to be staged in Pakistan since it co-hosted the World Cup with India in 1996.

International cricket was not held in Pakistan for almost a decade after gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009, killing eight people, but teams have slowly started to tour the country again.

Last week, the ICC agreed to award the Pakistan Cricket Board with the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy and Barclay is optimistic that it will be held with a full complement of nations.

"From what we can see, absolutely," said Barclay, when asked whether the ICC was confident teams would travel to Pakistan in four years’ time.

"We wouldn't have awarded the event if we didn't think Pakistan was capable of hosting it.

"I'm sure, as with all countries, they will put together appropriate security plans to deliver the event.

"We're comfortable and confident it will go ahead."

The Champions Trophy was due to be staged in Pakistan in 2008, only to be postponed due to security concerns.

The attacks in Lahore a year later forced the competition to be relocated to South Africa, while Pakistan also lost the rights to co-host the 2011 World Cup.

In September this year, England’s men’s and women’s cricket teams pulled out of their series with Pakistan, citing security concerns in the country.

New Zealand's men's team also abandoned their tour to Pakistan due to a "specific and credible threat".

Cricket Australia confirmed earlier this month that its men’s side will visit Pakistan next year for the first time since 1998 to play three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 fixture, but question marks hang over the participation of India whose last match in Pakistan was in the 2008 Asia Cup.

India’s Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, a former President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, said last week that security was the "main concern", but Barclay remained hopeful the nation would travel to Pakistan.

"We know it's a challenging issue," added Barclay.

"From my point of view, I can't control geopolitical forces.

"I just hope cricket can be a force to help improve relations between countries.

"One of the great things sports can do is to help bring nations together.

"If we can do something in a small way to contribute to that, that's fantastic."