ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's leg of the Olympic torch relay passed off peacefully behind closed doors and amid heavy security Wednesday, as Australia and India braced for anti-China protests when the flame reaches them.
Thousands of troops and police guarded the ceremony at a sports stadium in Islamabad after organizers slashed the planned route to ward off pro-Tibet demonstrations and the threat of militant attacks.
The torch next moves on to the Indian capital New Delhi for what will be a short, heavily guarded leg.
Thousands of Indian police prepared to seal off the heart of New Delhi on Wednesday as Tibetan activists ramped up protests. India is home to more than 100,000 Tibetan refugees, many of them organized and media savvy.