PCB to help clear Malik & Ata-ur-Rahman

[Salman]

PCB appoint lawyers to probe judge's revelations

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan

January 16, 2006



Justice Mohammad Qayyum had revealed that a "soft corner" for Wasim Akram might have influenced him while handing Akram his punishment. © Cricinfo Ltd

The Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed "high-profile lawyers" to look into the ramifications of Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum's revelation to Cricinfo that he had been lenient on a couple of players while delivering his recommendations on the match-fixing probe in 2000.

A highly placed PCB official told Cricinfo that the PCB was considering the implications of Qayyum's remarks on the pending case against Salim Malik who was banned for life from all forms of cricket following Qayyum's recommendations. The comments may have an impact on the case of Ata-ur-Rahman too.

"We have appointed high-profile lawyers to look into the matter." He feared that the banned players could now question the credibility of the investigation.

Like Malik, Rahman was originally banned for life, but his ban was lifted by a one-man PCB special committee headed by Zakir Khan in 2003. But the ICC has refused to recognise this verdict as it was given by a board official and not a court of justice. Rahman, now a British resident, is trying to get his name cleared of all charges so that he can play league and county cricket in the United Kingdom. He was recently advised by Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chief, to file an appeal with a lower court. Malik's case is pending with the Supreme Court and he ruffled a few feathers recently by playing in a veterans'game.

In an interview with Cricinfo last week, Qayyum admitted that he had been a fan of Akram's and that he didn't want cricket to be "deprived of his participation". He levied a fine of Rs.300,000 (approximately US$6000)on Akram and had recommended that he never be allowed to captain Pakistan again....

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Do you its fair for the ICC no to lift bans on ex-players?

[safehands46]

of course if the judicial system is corrupt then we should. But certainly that also puts wasim akram in precarious situation. But justice is key here there should be no leniency. This is serious for our game. In america, 1911 i think the white sox banned 11 players for life for fixing a game. I mean you have to be strict any affiliation or so called action in that manner should be a ban for life. This our pride this our game.