PCB forms committee to probe Asif Dubai case

Karachi:

Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday constituted a three-member inquiry committee to probe into the Dubai detention case of pace bowler Mohammad Asif.

The board announced that the committee would include former Test captain Wasim Bari, who is now director human resources in the board, board media director Asif Sohail and doctor Sohail Saleem.

Asif was detained for 19 days last June in Dubai while returning from India after playing in the Indian Premier League. The authorities reportedly found 0.24 grams of opium in his wallet.

Although the authorities did not press for criminal charges against Asif he was deported from Dubai. The board has also suspended him and cancelled his central contract for his positive dope test during the IPL last year.

Asif was due to fly to New Delhi today to resolve some issues with IPL team Delhi Daredevils but could not keep his engagement as the flight from Lahore was cancelled.

"I will go now on the next possible flight," he said. The board's belated move to appoint a fresh inquiry committee to probe into the Dubai detention case comes few days after the Senate Standing Committee on Sports called on the board chairman Ejaz Butt to impose a life ban on the pace bowler on basis of the report of the Dubai Public Prosecutor.

The board in a statement accused former chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi of a serious offence.

"Whereas the former management of the Pakistan Cricket Board ordered an inquiry into the matter and whereas the former Chief Operating Officer of the PCB Shafqat Hussain Naghmi stole the file containing the order of inquiry as also the documents received from Dubai at the time the present management took over."

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