Bryan Adams to play Karachi benefit

Bryan Adams is to perform at a fundraising concert for earthquake victims in Karachi, Pakistan.

The Canadian star will play for around 20,000 people later this month, BBC News Online says.

Almost 74,000 people died and 3.5 million were made homeless when the earthquake struck on October 8 2005.

Co-organiser Salman Iqbal said: "This is the first time that an artist of Bryan Adam's calibre is coming to Pakistan. We want to show to the world that Pakistan is a friendly country and its people love music and Karachi is no more a troubled city."

Other co-organiser Ahmed Shah added: "We came into contact with Adams before 9/11 and he was willing to perform here but the terrorist attacks on United States and the subsequent war in Afghanistan foiled our efforts."

No date has yet been set for the concert.