The Interior Minister of Pakistan, Rehman Malik, has announced that there are numerous facts which have been provided to him by Pakistan’s former wicketkeeper, Zulqarnain Haider, which will be revealed soon. The minister however, clarified that due to the security concerns surrounding Haider, the information regarding match-fixing cannot be disclosed at this point in time.
Speaking on the occasion of Haider’s return to Pakistan from the United Kingdom, Malik said, “He is a citizen of Pakistan so there is no restriction on his movement in the country. He has told us some facts which at this point of time could not be shared with the media. However, I will disclose these facts very soon.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s renegade wicketkeeper returned home from England after five months since deserting his team playing a One-Day series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates in November last year. According to reports, Haider’s meeting with Rehman Malik earlier this month in London paved the way for his return.
Haider on his return expressed satisfaction over the security that had been provided to him by the Pakistan government. While talking to media after having a meeting with Malik at his Islamabad office, Haider said, “Interior Minister guaranteed full safety at my hometown. There were many reasons behind my act of leaving the team in Dubai on November 8, 2010. I am happy the way I was given full security. I want to spend some time with my family.”
He further said that he will meet the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ijaz Butt in the coming days to brief him about the whole escapade and promised to reveal the contents of his meeting with the media.
Haider ditched Pakistan after receiving threats from an alleged bookie who wanted the wicketkeeper to lose the fourth and fifth match of the One-Day series but he refused to comply and just before the fifth match slipped to the United Kingdom without informing anyone from the team management.
Initially the team management and players were oblivious of Haider’s status but later he resurfaced in England and revealed the reasons behind his sudden departure. In his first press conference he announced retirement from international cricket and expressed desire to seek permanent residence in England.
After a week, he pledged to reveal the names of the culprits involved in match-fixing within the PCB. However, after this his family in Pakistan received threatening calls which forced him to retract his statement.
The PCB on the other hand, terminated his central contract and formed a three member committee to look into the whole debacle. Haider was termed “mentally ill” in the committee’s findings. This irked the player and he threatened to sue the board for maligning his reputation.
Later Haider and the PCB entered into a bitter confrontation when the runaway wicketkeeper threatened to sue the board for not paying him dues for representing Pakistan. The PCB clarified that the board will not pay the player anything until his asylum case was settled in the United Kingdom.
Before his arrival, sources in the PCB had clarified that the player will have to represent himself in front of an inquiry committee which will give its verdict regarding the fate of his cricket career in the country.
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